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'K^fmrnm 


THE 


JEWISH   TABEMACLE 


AND   ITS  FURNITURE, 


IN  THEIB  TYPICAL   TEACHINGS. 


BY 


EEY.  RICHARD  KEWTOX,  D.D., 

BECTOB    OP    THE    CHURCH    OF    THE    EPIPHANT,    PHILADELPniA, 


IS^I  w 


ROBERT  C 

530 


)  A  D  "W  AT  I 


B  E 


8  7  40CT  3  0  2007 


THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  In  the  year  18(J8,  by 

ROBERT  CARTER  &  BROTHERS, 

la  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the 

Southern  District  of  New  York. 


Stereotyped  by  Smith  &  McDougax,  84  Beekman  StT«et,  N.  T. 
Printed  by  E.  0.  Jenkins,  20  N".  WUliam  Street,  N.  Y. 


PEEFACB 


"When  St.  Paul  desired  to  point  out  tho 
relation  existing  between  the  Mosaic  economy, 
with  its  rites  and  ceremonies,  and  that  which 
has  succeeded  it,  he  compared  the  former  to  a 
shadow^  and  the  latter  to  a  body,  or  sicbstance, 
by  which  that  shadow  was  forecast.  Colos- 
si ans  ii.  17.  The  relation  existing  between  a 
shadow  and  the  substance  which  projects  it  is 
easily  understood.  But  all  natural  figures  fail 
when  applied  to  spiritual  things.  Ordinarily 
the  shadow  will  afford  nothing  but  the  most 
general  and  unsatisfactory  idea  of  the  nature 
of  the  substance  which  projects  it.  And  when 
that  substance  is  reached  we  can  gain  no 
further  knowledge  respecting  it  from  the  sha- 


IV  PREFACE. 

dow.  But  it  is  different  in  tlie  case  before 
lis.  The  Jewish  Tabernacle  did  more  than 
this  in  preparing  the  way  for  the  reception 
of  the  gospel.  It  gave  very  suggestive  hints 
not  only  of  the  general  outline  of  the  glori- 
ous substance  to  which  it  stood  related,  but 
also  of  the  particular  blessings  which  were 
to  be  introduced  by  it.  And  even  after  this 
expected  substance  has  been  revealed,  and 
with  all  its  privileges  in  oiu'  possession,  we 
cannot,  without  loss,  wholly  separate  ourselves 
from  the  shadow  of  the  ]3receding  dispensa- 
tion. It  is,  to  us,  a  most  significant  and  in- 
structive shadow. 

In  no  part  of  the  Xew  Testament  is  the 
glory  of  the  gospel  revealed  in  clearer,  fuller 
light  than  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews. 
And  the  liglit  which  shines  so  radiantly  there 
is  reflected  from  the  Tabernacle  and  its  ser- 
vices. Tliat  Tabernacle  was  designed  of  God 
not   only   to   foreshadow   the   gospel   before   it 


PEEFACE.  V 

came,  but  also  to  illustrate  it  after  it  bad 
come.  And  as  tbere  is  none  "  wbo  teacbeth 
like  Him,"  so  no  illustration  of  tbe  gospel 
and  its  blessings  can  be  found  comparable  to 
tliat  wbicli  is  bere  furnisbed  by  Ilim.  It  is 
as  a  luminous  illustration  of  tbe  gospel  tbat 
tbe  Tabernacle  is  presented  in  tbis  volume. 
Tbe  writer  bas  found  tbe  attempt  to  unfold 
tbis  illustration  very  precious  and  profitable 
to  bis  own  soul.  His  earnest  prayer  is,  tbat 
every  reader  of  tbese  pages  may  be  blessed 
witb  a  similar  experience.  If  God  sball  bonor 
tbis  unpretending  volume  by  making  it  tbe 
means  of  leadins;  one  soul  to  tbe  knowledg-e 
of  Cbrist,  or  of  giving  to  any  wbo  do  know 
Ilim  a  clearer  apprebension  of  tbe  fulness 
and  preciousness  of  His  salvation,  tbis  will 
be  regarded  as  an  abundant  recompense  for 
tbe  labor  bestowed  upon  it. 

In   preparing    tbese   discourses   mucb   assist- 
ance  was    obtained   from    tbe   valuable    notes 


VI  PREFACE. 

wliicli  accompany  Bagster's  large  "book  of 
plates  illustrative  of  tlie  Tabernacle  ;  from 
an  admirable  little  volume  entitled  "  Scrip- 
ture Symbolism,"  by  the  Eev.  Samuel  Gar- 
rett, of  London ;  and  also  from  some  very 
suggestive  unpublislied  "  J^otes  on  the  Taber- 
nacle," prepared  by  Thomas  Latimer,  Esq., 
of  this  city,  which  were  kindly  loaned  to  me. 
May  He  with  whom  the  design  of  the 
Tabernacle  originated,  and  who  called  Moses 
lip  the  mount  to  study  the  pattern  shown 
him  there,  crown  with  His  rich  blessing  this 
humble  effort  to  illustrate  the  truth  of  His 
gospel  in  the  light  which  shines  upon  it  from 
the  Tabernacle,  for  Jesus'  sake! 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    I. 

The  Nature  and  Design  of  the  Tabernaclk 9 


CHAPTER    II. 
The  Brazen  Altar r   51 

CHAPTER    III. 
The  Layer 93 

CHAPTER    lY. 
The  Candlestick 13T 

CHAPTER    y. 
The  Table  op  Shew  Bread 183 


Vm  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

PAGE 

Tile  Altar  of  Ixcexse 227 


CHAPTER     YII. 
The  Ark 271 

CHAPTER    YIII. 
The  CnERUBiii 315 

CHAPTER    IX. 
The  Mercy-Seat 359 


CHAPTER    1. 


**  S^lje  Jirst  ^nbermitle — foas  a  ^wxz  for  ilje  time  i\m 
ptuwV — Hebrews,  ix.  %  9. 


Let  us  imagine  ourselves,  my  friends, 
in  the  Desert  of  Sin,  that  gloomy,  desolate 
region  of  country  that  lies  between  the 
north  of  Egypt  and  the  south  of  Canaan. 
We  take  our  stand  near  the  foot  of  Mount 
Sinai.  The  time  of  our  imaginary  visit 
is,  not  the  middle  of  this  nineteenth  cen- 
tury after  Christ,  but  about  the  middle 
of  the  sixteenth  century  before  Christ. 
We  suppose  ourselves  to  have  travelled 
backwards  on  the  stream  of  time,  over  the 
broad  track  of  thirty-five  centuries.  It  is 
the  time  of  Israel's  Exodus  from  Egypt.  A 
nation  of  from  three  to  five  millions  of 
people  are  marching  through  the  wilderness 


12     THE  NATURE  AND  DESIGN 

under  the  visible,  manifest  guidance  of  tlia 
Lord  Jehovah.  Earth  never  witnessed 
such  a  procession  before.  No  parallel  to 
it  has  ever  been  seen  since.  The  mys- 
terious pillar  of  clcml,  the  august  symbol 
of  the  divine  presence,  goes  before  them 
to  lead  them  on  their  way.  But  now, 
they  reach  the  foot  of  Sinai,  and  that  cloud 
becomes  stationary.  The  procession  halts. 
In  the  beautiful  order  which  God  has  indi- 
cated, the  weary  tribes  now  pitch  their 
tents,  to  abide  for  a  season  round  about 
that  mountain,  which  was  destined  hence- 
forth, in  the  most  sacred  sense,  to  become 
classic  ground  in  the  history  of  our  race. 
On  the  summit  of  that  mount  God  comes 
down  in  awful  majesty.  He  spreads  his 
pavilion  there  of  clouds  and  darkness.  The 
lightnings  flash;  the  thunders  roar;  the 
mountain  shakes,  and  the  sound  of  the 
angel's  trumpet   w^axes   long   and    loud  ia 


OF     THE    TABERNACLE.  13 

attestation  of  the  transcendent  state  of 
Heaven's  great  King.  Moses  is  called  up 
thither.  With  trembling  awe  he  obeys  the 
call.  We  watch  him  as  he  ascends  the 
mount.  Higher,  and  yet  higher  we  see 
him  rise.  Now  the  clouds  shut  him  in,  and 
he  is  there,  alone  tvith  God.  He  remains 
there  forty  days.  There  he  receives  the 
law,  written  by  God's  own  finger,  on  tables 
of  stone.  And  there,  too,  he  is  instructed 
as  to  the  nature  and  design  of  that  taber- 
nacle and  its  furniture  which  he  was  com- 
missioned to  build.  A  diagram,  a  model, 
or  type  of  it,  formed  by  angelic,  or  divine 
hands,  is  set  before  him.  He  studies  it  out 
there,  in  all  its  detail,  in  the  light  of  the 
upper  sanctuary,  and  with  God  himself  at 
hand  as  his  teacher.  And  when  he  has 
learned  his  lesson  well,  he  is  sent  down  to 
execute  the  high  commission  entrusted  to 
him,    TN  ith    this    reiterated    injunction : — 

2 


14  THE    NATURE   AND    DESIGN 

"See   thou  make  all  things   according  to 
the  pattern  showed  thee  in  the  mount." 

No  other  structure  was  ever  erected  on 
our  ruined  earth,  in  the  building  of  which 
God  manifested  such  an  interest,  and  in 
preparation  for  which,  so  much  care  and 
pains  were  lavished.  But  we  know  that 
God  does  nothing  in  vain.  We  know,  too, 
that  He  never  over-estimates  the  import- 
ance of  any  thing.  His  estimate  of  things 
is  the  true  standard  by  which  we  are  to 
form,  and  correct  our  own  judgments. 
Surely  then,  when  we  see  what  an  amount 
of  care  and  time  God  was  pleased  to  bestow 
on  the  preparation  of  the  tabernacle  and  its 
furniture,  we  may  well  feel  that  the  con- 
sideration of  it  should  receive  our  most 
careful  and  attentive  study.  To  such  a 
study,  my  dear  friends,  I  now  invite  you, 
with  the  humble  prayer  that  God  may  bless 
our  meditations. 


OF   THE    TABERNACLE.  15 

Our  theme  "will  be,  The  Jeivish  Taber- 
nacle and  its  Furniture  in  their  Ti/]oical 
Teachings, 

Our  attention  now,  will  be  given  to  a 
general  consideration  of  the  Tabernacle^  in 
the  Nature  arid  Design  of  its  Structure. 

I  shall  not  attempt  to  enter  into  all  the 
minute  details  of  this  sacred  structure. 
This  would  not  be  either  interesting,  or 
instructive.  Nor  is  it  necessary.  They 
are  written  out  in  the  books  of  Moses. 
You  can  read  them  there  for  yourselves. 
Our  desire  now  is  to  get  a  clear,  and  dis- 
tinct general  idea  of  the  whole  structure. 
Well,  then,  we  imagine  that  Moses  has 
descended  from  the  mount,  and  fulfilled  the 
important  commission  with  which  he  was 
intrusted.  He  has  finished  the  Tabernacle. 
Everything  about  it  is  completed.  It  is 
set  up,  with  all  its  furniture,  in  the  most 
exact  conformity  to  the  beautiful  order  of 


16     THE  NATURE  AND  DESIGN 

the  pattern  showed  him  in  the  mount. 
The  tribes  of  Israel,  in  goodly  array,  are 
still  encamped  around  it.  Now,  let  us 
imagine  ourselves  to  be  a  company  of 
strangers,  who  have  heard  of  the  erection 
of  this  heaven-devised  edifice,  and  have 
obtained  permission  to  approach,  and  make 
a  general  survey  of  its  wondrous  parts. 
Our  first  view  of  the  encampment  bursts 
upon  us  as  we  gain  the  height  of  a  com- 
manding hill  in  the  horizon.  What  a  sight 
do  we  behold  !  A  nation,  of  from  three  to 
five  millions  of  people,  is  encamped  in 
beautiful  order  before  us  !  The  camp  is 
in  the  form  of  an  oblong  square.  For  miles 
and  miles,  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach, 
it  stretches  out,  in  beautiful  propor- 
tions. There,  in  the  centre,  we  behold  the 
wonderful  tabernacle.  Above  it  is  sus- 
pended the  pillar  of  cloud,  the  mysterious 
symbol  of  Jehovah's  presence.     The  upper 


OF    THE    TABEPvNACLE.  17 

part  of  the  cloud  is  seen  to  spread  itself 
out,  on  every  hand  to  the  limits  of  the 
encampment,  offering  a  grateful  shade  to 
protect  the  wanderers  from  the  intensity 
of  the  sun's  rays.  As  we  stand  and  gaze 
upon  the  scene,  we  enter  into  the  feelings 
of  Balaam;  when  from  the  top  of  Mount 
Peer,  he  actually  beheld  the  sight  which 
we  are  imagining ;  and  we  feel  constrained 
to  take  up  his  language  and  exclaim  : — 
''  How  goodly  are  thy  tents,  0  Jacob  !  and 
thy  tabernacle,  0  Israel !  As  the  valleys 
are  they  spread  forth ;  as  gardens  by  the 
river-side ;  as  trees  of  lign-aloes  which  the 
Lord  hath  planted,  and  as  cedar-trees 
beside  the  waters.  He  hath  not  beheld 
iniquity  in  Jacob,  neither  hath  he  seen 
perverseness  in  Israel:  the  Lord  his  God 
is  with  him,  and  the  shout  of  a  king  is 
among  them.  God  brought  them  out  of 
Egypt;  he  hath  as  it  were  the  strength  of 


18  THE    NATURE    AND    DESIGN 

a  unicorn.  Surely  there  is  no  enchantment 
against  Jacob,  neither  is  there  any  divina- 
nation  against  Israel:  according  to  this 
time  it  shall  be  said  of  Jacob  and  Israel — 
What  hath  God  wrought !" 

But  now  let  us  descend  from  our  distant 
and  elevated  point  of  view.  Let  us  draw 
near,  and  make  a  closer  examination  of  the 
interesting  object  before  us.  We  are  ap- 
proaching the  encampment  from  the  East, 
coming  upon  it  in  what  may  properly  be 
termed  the  vanguard  of  the  mighty  host. 
It  is  on  this  side  that  the  entrance  to 
the  sacred  enclosure  lies,  and  only  on  this 
side  that  access  to  it  can  be  had.  And 
pursuing  our  way,  in  this  direction,  the  first 
thing  that  we  encounter,  before  we  reach 
the  camp,  and  quite  outside  of  all  its  lines, 
is  a  fire,  burning  on  the  ground.  It  is  the 
fire  at  which  the  sin-offering  was  consumed 
^^  zvithout  the  campy     Here,  though  just  on 


OF    THE    TABERNACLE.  19 

the  verge  of  the  encampment,  we  must  yet 
be  at  least  four  miles  distant  from  the  tab- 
ernacle. The  three  tribes  of  Judah,  Issa- 
char,  and  Zebulon  are  encamped  here,  in 
front  of  the  tabernacle.  They  number 
together  nearly  two  hundred  thousand 
men,  and  none  of  their  tents  are  allowed 
to  be  pitched  nearer  to  the  tabernacle  than 
two  thousand  cubits,  or  three  thousand 
five  hundred  feet,  or  about  two-thirds  of  a 
mile. 

This  fire  tuitJiout  the  camp,  in  which  the 
bodies  of  the  animals  presented  as  sin- 
oiFerings,  on  the  great  day  of  atonement, 
as  well  as  on  certain  other  occasions,  were 
con-sumed  to  ashes,  what  solemn  thoughts 
it  suggests  to  us !  How  significantly  it 
points  us  to  Jesus  !  He  was  God's  chosen 
Lamb,  our  great  sin-offering.  And  "  that 
He  might  sanctify  the  people  with  His 
own  blood,  he   suffered   tvitlioiit  the  gate' 


20  THE    NATURE    AND    DESIGN 

There,  the  devouring  flame  of  the  divine 
justice  consumed  this  innocent  sufferer, 
extorting  from  Him,  in  the  hour  of  His 
final  agony,  the  bitter  cry  : — "  My  God  1 
my  God !  why  hast  Thou  forsaken  me  ?" 

But  we  can  not  linger  here.  We  pass 
through  that  portion  of  the  camp  which 
forms  the  van  of  the  host.  The  tribe  of 
Judah  occupies  the  central  position  here. 
We  make  our  way  between  the  tents  of 
Judah.  Now,  we  reach  their  inner  lines, 
the  side  of  their  encampment  next  to  the 
tabernacle.  Here,  between  these  lines  and 
the  eastern,  or  front  side  of  the  tabernacle 
enclosure,  there  is  left  the ,  space  of  two 
thousand  cubits,  already  referred  to.  This 
broad  space  encircles  the  enclosure  on  every 
side.  None  of  the  camps  are  allowed  to 
be  pitched  nearer  the  sacred  structure  than 
this.  Midway  in  this  space,  and  directly 
in  fi'ont  of  the  entrance  to  the  enclosure 


OF    THE     TABERNAULE.  21 

are  erected  the  tents  of  Moses  and  Aaron, 
and  Aaron's  sons.  We  pay  our  respects  to 
the  venerable  legislator  in  passing,  and 
proceed.  Bu.t  before  entering  this  enclo- 
sure, let  us  take  a  walk  round  the  outside 
of  it,  so  as  to  form  a  correct  idea  of  its 
external  appearance.  Turning  to  the  right 
then,  we  soon  reach  the  north  side  of  the 
enclosure.  Here,  on  our  right  hand,  are 
encamped  the  tribes  of  Asher,  Dan,  and 
Naphtali.  Their  united  camp  numbers  over 
one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  men.  We 
proceed  along  the  broad  avenue  which  lies 
before  us,  and  midway  in  this  avenue,  be- 
tween  the  camp  of  Dan  and  the  north  side 
of  the  sacred  enclosure,  we  meet  the  tents 
of  the  sons  of  Merari.  They  number  over 
six  thousand  men,  and  as  Israel  pursue 
their  journey,  they  have  charge  of  the 
boards,  and  bars,  and  pillars,  of  which  the 
tabernacle   is   composed.      Proceeding    on 


22     THE  NATURE  AND  DESIGN 

our  Tvay  we  now  reacli  the  west  end  of 
tlie  tabernacle  inclosure.  Encamped  on 
our  right,  we  have  the  tribes  of  Benjamin, 
Ephraim,  and  Manasseh.  They  form  the 
rearward  portion  of  the  host,  in  number 
about  one  hundred  and  eight  thousand. 
Directly  in  front  of  them,  and  midway 
between  their  camp  and  the  sacred  court, 
are  the  tents  of  the  sons  of  Gershon. 
They  number  seven  thousand  five  hun- 
dred men,  and  have  charge  of  the  tent, 
the  coverings,  and  the  hangings  connected 
with  the  tabernacle.  Continuing  our  way 
along  this  broad,  surrounding  space,  we 
ziow  reach  the  south  side  of  the  sacred 
place.  Here  are  encamped  the  tribes  of 
Gad,  Reuben,  and  Simeon.  They  number 
over  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand.  In 
front  of  them,  between  their  tents  and  the 
south  wall  of  the  central  inclosure,  "s^e  pass 
the  tents   of  the  sons    of  Kohath.     They 


OF    THE    TABERNACLE.  23 

number  eight  thousand  six  hundred  men, 
and  have  charge  of  the  ark,  the  table,  the 
candle-stick,  the  altars,  and  the  vessels  of 
the  sanctuary.  Passing  on  from  thence, 
we  soon  return  to  the  point  from  which  we 
started,  in  front  of  the  sacred  inclosure. 
As  we  stand  here  this  inclosure  is  before 
us.  It  is  in  the  form  of  an  oblong  square. 
Its  length,  from  east  to  west,  is  one  hundred 
and  seventy-five  feet.  Its  breadth,  from 
north  to  south,  is  eighty-seven  and  one-half 
feet,  its  height  eight  and  one-half  feet.  It 
is  formed  by  curtains  of  fine  linen,  sus- 
pended on  pillars.  These  pillars  are  made 
of  shittim,  or  acacia  wood,  overlaid  witli 
brass,  and  furnished,  at  the  bottom,  with 
fillets  of  silver  made  to  fit  into  sockets  of 
brass.  When  set  up  they  are  strengthened 
by  stays,  on  each  side,  attached  to  stakes 
driven  into  the  ground.  There  are  twenty 
of    these   pillars    along   each    side   of   the 


24     THE  NATURE  AND  DESIGN 

inclosure  :  ten  at  the  end,  and  ten  in  front. 
Between  these  pillars  are  hung  linen  cnr- 
tains,  which  form  the  walls  of  the  in  closure. 
The  space,  thus  inclosed,  is  called  "  The 
Court  of  the  Tabernacle."  The  entrance 
to  this  hallowed  place  is  called  "  The  Gate 
of  the  Court."  It  is  on  the  east  of  the 
court,  and  is  formed  by  a  beautifully  em- 
broidered curtain  of  blue,  purple,  and  scar- 
let, suspended  on  four  pillars.  Its  width 
is  thirty-five  feet.  This  is  the  only  en- 
trance. The  material  and  color  of  this 
curtain  are  precisely  the  same  as  those  of 
the  Tail,  which  hangs  before  the  ark  in  the 
Holy  Place.  That  vail,  we  know,  on  the 
best  authority,  typifies  Christ.  This  cur- 
tain, then,  which  is  like  it,  must  be  a  type 
of  Christ  too.  What  striking  significance 
this  circumstance  imparts  to  those  passages 
of  Scripture,  in  which  Jesus  said — "  I  am 
the  door^ — no  man  cometh  unto  the  Father, 


OF    THE    TABERNACLE.  25 

but  by  me."  It  was  a  truth  in  the  days 
of  Moses,  it  is  a  truth  now,  and  it  will  re- 
main a  truth  forever,  in  the  history  of  our 
ruined  world,  that  there  is  no  way  of  access 
to  God,  for  life  and  light  and  salvation, 
but  through  Jesus  Christ. 

But  now  we  pass  through  this  gate,  and 
find  ourselves  within  "the  Court  of  the 
Tabernacle."  Here,  the  first  object  that 
meets  the  eye,  is  the  altar  of  burnt-offering. 
A  little  beyond  this  stands  the  brazen 
laver.  We  pause  not  now  to  speak  of 
these,  as  we  shall  return  to  them  again, 
and  dwell  on  them  in  detail.  Passing  by 
these,  we  proceed  to  the  western  end  of 
the  court.  Here  we  come  to  the  great 
central  object  of  interest — the  Tabernacle 
itself.*  This  is  an  oblong  structure,  forty- 
five  feet  in  length,  and  fifteen  feet  in  height 
and   breadth.     It  ranges,  in  the  direction 

*  See  Frontispieoe. 
3 


26  THE    NATURE    AND    DESIGN 

of  its  length  from  east  to  west;  having  its 
entrance,  like  the  court  which  surrounds 
it,  on  the  side  which  looks  toward  the 
east.  The  two  sides  and  the  west  end  con- 
stitute a  frame  work  composed  of  boards 
of  acacia  wood  overlaid  with  pure  gold. 
There  are  twenty  of  these  boards  on  each 
side,  and  eight  at  the  west  end.  Each 
board  is  furnished  with  two  tenons  and 
sockets,  and  also  with  five  rings  or  staples, 
through  which  bars  are  thrust  for  the 
purpose  of  bracing  and  steadying  the  whole 
structure.  When  thus  erected,  four  sepa- 
rate curtains  are  spread  over  the  taber- 
nacle, to  protect  it  and  its  furniture,  from 
the  changes  of  the  weather.  The  first  of 
these  is  of  Ihien,  with  variegated  colors  of 
blue,  purple,  and  scarlet.  The  second  is  a 
white  curtain  of  pure,  fine  wool.  The  third 
is  of  goats'  skins  dyed  red,  and  the  fourth, 
a  thick,  heavy  covering  of  badgers'  skins, 


OF   THE    TABEENACLE.  27 

This  tabernacle  is  divided  into  two  apart- 
ments of  unequal  size.  We  enter  the  first 
of  these^  which  is  the  larger  of  the  two. 
"We  are  now  in  what  is  called  the  Ilohj 
Place.  Above  our  heads  is  the  first  beauti- 
ful covering  of  which  we  have  just  spoken, 
embroidered  with  Cherubim  in  blue,  pur- 
ple, and  scarlet.  On  either  hand  are  the 
sides  of  the  tabernacle  glittering  with  gold 
Everywhere  are  marks  of  sprinkled  blood, 
the  covenanting  sign  of  peace.  On  the 
north,  or  the  right  hand,  is  the  golden 
table  with  the  twelve  cakes  of  show-bread, 
ever  before  the  Lord.  On  the  south  side, 
or  the  left  hand,  is  the  seven-branched 
golden  candle-stick,  ever  lighted  before  the 
Lord  ;  in  the  centre,  before  us,  stands  the 
golden  altar  ever  fragrant  with  the  morn- 
ing and  evening  incense.  Thus  in  God's 
house  there  is  continually  before  Him 
light,  and  fragrance,  and  food.     And  there, 


28     THE  NATURE  AND  DESIGN 

beyond  the  golden  altar,  and  shutting  out 
the  view  of  the  Most  Holy  Place,  hangs 
down  before  us  the  vail,  the  dark,  mys- 
terious vail.  Beyond  it,  we  know,  is  the 
ark  of  the  covenant.  But  we  may  not 
draw  that  vail  aside,  or  pass  behind  it,  to 
gaze  on  what  it  hides  from  view.  Only 
one,  out  of  all  the  tribes  of  Israel,  and  he 
but  once  a  year,  may  enter  there,  and  be- 
hold the  glory  which  fills  that  most  sacred 
of  all  earthly  spots. 

Thus  we  have  attempted  to  take  a  gen- 
eral survey  of  the  structure  of  the  taber- 
nacle.    Let  us  look  now  at  its  nature. 

It  was  a  simple  structure.  The  materials 
of  which  it  was  composed  were  costly  in- 
deed. It  is  estimated  that  near  a  million 
of  dollars  were  expended  upon  it.  There 
was  also  much  of  artistic  grace  and  beauty 
wrought  up  into  its  composition ,  and  yet, 
compared    with     the    splendid    cathedrals 


OF    THE    TABEPtNACLE.  29 

of  tlie  old  world,  those  gorgeous  and  gigantic 
masses  of  breathing  marble,  which  men 
have  erected,  how  simple  and  unpre- 
tending the  tabernacle  was !  Considered 
as  the  dwelling-place  of  Him  who  has 
heaven  for  His  throne,  and  the  earth  for 
His  footstool;  who  has  spread  out  the 
heavens  as  His  curtain,  and  gemmed  them 
with  stars,  the  tabernacle  was  a  simjjle 
structure. 

It  was  a  structure  of  dlviyie  origin.  Sir 
Christopher  Wren  planned  and  built  the 
Cathedral  of  St.  Paul  in  London,  as  a 
monument  of  his  own  genius.  Michael 
Angelo  left  the  impress  of  his  genius  on 
the  Cathedral  of  St.  Peters  at  Ptome.  But 
the  Jewish  Tabernable  was  indebted  for 
nothing  to  the  force  of  Man's  creative 
faculty.  It  was  not  an  imitation  of  any 
other  earthly  structure.  It  had  its  origin 
in  heaven.     God — the  Great  Arcjiitect  of 

3* 


30  THE    NATURE   AND    DESIGN 

the  Universe — planned  it.  The  design  was 
His,  both  in  the  conception,  and  in  the 
development  of  all  its  details.  Moses  had 
nothing  to  do  but  copy  the  model  set  before 
him,  and  carry  it  out,  in  all  its  minutiae. 
No  part,  or  portion  of  it  was  left  for  him 
to  fill  up.  From  the  glorious  cherubim 
overshadowing  the  mercy-seat,  down  to  the 
.cords  and  stakes  w^hich  sustained  the 
walls  of  the  outer  court,  everything  was 
to  be  made  and  fashioned  "according  to 
the  pattern  showed  him  in  the  Mount." 
JSuch  was  the  nature  of  this  structure. 

It  remains  for  us  to  consider  its  design  ; 
or  the  purpose  of  God's  wisdom  and  good- 
ness which  it  was  intended  to  subserve. 
In  handling  this  part  of  our  subject,  we 
must  consider  its  design  in  reference  to  tlie 
Jeius  and  in  reference  to  ourselves.  To  the 
Jews,  the  tabernacle,  with  its  furniture  and 
servi  3eS;  was  at  once  the  source  of  ^^reseni 


OF    THE    TABERNACLE.  31 

hiessing,  and  the  pledge  or  promise  of  future 
good.  It  was  a  source  or  channel,  through 
which  the  Jews  in  the  wilderness  were  put 
in  the  possession  and  enjoyment  of  present, 
peculiar  blessings. 

"  The  camp  of  Israel  was  preeminently 
the  place  of  blessing.  It  was  the  bright 
spot  in  the  midst  of  a  dark  and  desert 
world ;  for  God  was  there,  and  walked  in 
the  midst  of  His  people,  to  bless  them,  and 
deliver  them  from  their  enemies."  Israel 
had  no  blessing  which  did  not  come  to 
them  through  the  tabernacle,  or  in  connec- 
tion with  it.  Their  happiness,  their  com- 
fort, their  safety,  their  very  existence  de- 
pended on  its  instrumentality.  Here  was 
the  Ark  of  God's  presence,  with  the  blood  of 
the  Lamb  sprinkled  upon  it,  ever  speaking 
peace.  Here  was  the  burnt-ofiering  on  the 
brazen  altar,  the  sweet  savor  from  whicli, 
was  ever  rising  before  the  Lord.    Here  wa^ 


S2  THE    NATURE    AND    DESIGN 

that  gracious  cloud  which  shaded  them  by 
day,  lighted  them  by  night,  and  was  their 
guide  in  all  their  wanderings .  The  Psalm- 
ist tells  us,  cv.  39 :  "  He  spread  a  cloud 
to  be  a  covering."  From  this  it  would 
seem  that  the  majestic  column,  or  pillar 
of  cloud,  w^hich  hung,  suspended  by  divine 
power,  over  the  tabernacle,  spread  itself 
out  on  every  side  to  the  utmost  borders 
of  their  encampment,  so  as  to  screen  the 
weary  wanderers  from  the  direct  rays  of  the 
sun,  and  the  reflection  from  the  burning 
sands  around  them.  There  was  no  water 
in  the  wilderness,  but  the  stream  from  the 
smitten  rock  followed  them.  The  manna 
fell  daily  round  about  their  tents.  The 
feet  of  the  wanderers  were  never  swollen, 
and  their  garments  waxed  not  old  upon 
them  for  forty  years.  They  were  the  Lord's 
chosen  family ,  at  peace  ivith  Ilim  through  the 
Hood  of    the    evcrlastiug    covenant.      "  The 


OF    THE    TABERNACLE.  33 

eternal  God  was  their  refuge,  and  under- 
neath were  the  everlasting  arms."  Y\^ell 
might  Moses,  as  he  stood  on  the  top  of 
Pisgah,  looking  back  on  the  one  hand,  at 
the  way  by  which  they  had  been  led 
through  the  wilderness,  and  looking  for- 
vrard  on  the  other  hand,  over  all  the  glorious 
inheritance  which  lay  before  them,  break 
forth  in  the  rapturous  exclamation :  — 
"Happy  art  thou,  0  Israel 3  vvdio  is  like 
unto  thee,  0  people  saved  by  the  Lord, 
the  shield  of  thy  help,  and  who  is  the 
sword  of  thy  excellency  !"  Thus  the  tab- 
ernacle was  to  Israel  a  source  of  p?^eserd 
blessing. 

It  was  at  the  same  time,  a  2')^^^{f^  0^ 
promise  to  them  of  future  good.  It  was  a 
typical  structure.  St.  Paul  tells  us  in  our 
text  that — "  The  first  tabernacle  Avas  a 
figure  for  the  time  then  present."  lie 
speaks  of  it  elsewhere,    (Hebrews,  x,   1.) 


34  THE    NATURE    AND    DESIGN 

as  "a  sliadoiv  of  good  tilings  to  come." 
Now  a  sliadoiv  takes  its  general  shape  or 
form  from  that  of  the  body  or  substancp 
Tv'hich  projects  it.  You  can  form  a  toler- 
ably correct  idea  of  what  that  substance  is 
when  you  see  the  shadow.  But  the  tab- 
ernacle, with  its  furniture  and  services,  was 
the  shadow  cast  into  the  midst  of  the 
Jewish  people  by  the  plan  of  God's  salva- 
tion in  Christ,  as  it  was  eventually  to  be 
revealed.  It  was  a  heaven-devised  symbol, 
prefiguring  or  typifying  that  salvation.  To 
those  among  the  Jews  who  understood  its 
meaning  it  was  a  sort  of  illustrated  profes- 
sion of  faith.  It  was  their  creed  in  sym- 
bol. To  an  intelligent,  pious  Jew,  there 
must  have  been  something  very  awe- 
inspiring,  stirring,  and  suggestive  in  the 
solemn  services  of  the  tabernacle.  We 
can  imagine  such  a  one  standing  by  the 
altar,  on  which  the  victim  he  had  brought 


OF   THE    TABERNACLE.  35 

was  being  offered.  It  is  a  shadowy  service 
in  which  he  is  engaged,  but  he  feels  that 
it  is  very  significant.  With  liis  bodily  eye 
he  surveys  the  shadow,  but  the  eye  of  his 
soul  is  fixed  with  an  intense  gaze  upon  tho 
future,  searcliing  after  the  substance  by 
which  that  shadow  is  forecast.  And  as  ho 
does  this,  glorious  glimpses  of  the  ^'  good 
things  to  come"  are  often  disclosed  to  him. 
Suppose  you  are  standing  on  an  elevated 
summit  which  overlooks  a  broad,  extensive 
landscape.  The  far-off  parts  of  it  are 
shrouded  in  gloom,  and  very  indistinctly 
seen.  But  as  you  stand  and  gaze,  there 
comes  a  burst  of  sunshine.  It  penetrates 
the  most  distant  parts  of  the  field  of  vi- 
sion, and  lights  up  the  whole  scene  with 
a  flood  of  glory.  You  see  objects  now 
which  you  had  not  perceived  before ;  while 
others  that  were  dimly  seen,  stand  revealed 
in  clear  and  vivid  distinctness  of  outline 


36     THE  NATURE  AND  DESIGN 

The  future,  before  the  Jew,  was  such  a 
landscape.  His  position  of  privilege  con- 
nected with  the  wor&nip  of  God  set  him 
on  a  lofty  elevation,  from  which  to  look 
out  upon  the  scene  before  him.  As  he 
looked  abroad  on  the  landscape,  however, 
through  the  shadowy  service  of  the  dark 
dispensation  with  which  he  was  connected, 
it  was  but  a  twilight  view  he  obtained. 
The  clouds  and  shades  that  rested  on  the 
landscape,  made  the  circle  of  his  vision 
very  circumscribed.  But  sometimes  a 
burst  of  sunshine,  like  that  of  which  we 
have  spoken,  was  vouchsafed  the  worship- 
per. Abraham  was  thus  favored,  when 
standing  by  his  altar  on  jMount  Moriah, 
'^he  desired  to  see  Christ's  day,  and  he 
saw  it,  and  was  glad."  As  the  prophetic 
landscape  of  the  future  lay  outstretched 
before  him,  it  was  lighted  up  with  such  a 
burst  of  spiritual  sunshine.     And  doubtless 


OF    THE    TABERNACLE.  37 

such  gleams  of  light  were  often  granted  to 
the  believing  Jews,  as,  in  humble  faith, 
they  waited  upon  God  in  the  service  of 
the  tabernacle.  Every  thing  there  seemed 
to  have  a  finger  with  which  to  point  to 
the  Messiah,  and  a  voice  with  which  to 
tell  of  the  gracious  offices  He  was  to  fulfil. 
The  cry  of  the  innocent  victim,  the  sight 
of  his  streaming  blood  and  dying  agonies, 
how  powerfully  these  would  speak  of  the 
dreadful  nature  of  sin,  and  of  the  tremen- 
dous penalties  which  it  incurred.  The 
ascending  flame  from  the  altar  of  burnt- 
offering,  with  its  curling  smoke,  and  the 
faming  incense  from  the  golden  altar, 
would  point  to  the  atoning  influences  that 
were,  to  go  forth  from  the  coming  lamh,  of 
which  those  then  offered  were  but  types. 
The  candle-stick  with  its  perpetual  light, — • 
and  the  table  over-against  it,  with  its  un 
ceasing    furnishment  of   bread,  would  tell 


38  THE    NATURE    AND    DESIGN 

of  divine  illumination,  and  of  grace  in  dts 
abundant  outflowings,  sufficient  for  all  the 
possible  wants  of  the  people  of  God.  The 
unseen  glories  of  the  Most  Holy  Pkice, 
shut  out  from  view  by  the  mysterious  vail, 
•would  whisper  to  the  worshipper,  of  the 
bliss  and  brightness  of  that  world,  whose 
joys  "eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard, 
nor  has  the  thought  of  them  entered  into 
the  heart  of  man."  And  thus  every  part 
of  this  marvellous  structure,  with  its  array 
of  imposing  services,  would  seem  to  be 
inscribed  all  over,  by  the  finger  of  prophecy, 
with  intimations  and  promises  of  coming 
blessings,  and  as  the  humble  worshipper 
gazed  in  fiith  upon  them,  the  inspired 
tracery  w^ould  seem  to  glow  and  sparkle  in 
characters  of  heavenly  light  before  him, 
weaving  themselves  out  into  glorious  pre- 
dictions of  the  untold  things  which  "God 
bath   prepared  for  them  that    love   Him.'* 


OF    THE    TABERNACLE.  39 

Thus  tlie  Tabernacle  was  to  the  Jews  a 
source  of  irresent  blessing,  and  a  pledge  of 
future  good. 

To  us,  the  tabernacle  is  instructive  as 
affording  an  illustration  of  the  blessings  of 
the  gospel ;  and  a  figurative  view  of  our 
relation  to  the  heavenly  world. 

We  see  in  it  an  illustration  of  the  blessings 
of  the  gospel.  The  tabernacle  was  a  shel- 
tered inclosure  in  a  dreary  desert.  In 
this  respect,  how  truly  it  represents  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ,  which  is 

"A  little  spot  inclosed  by  grace, 
Out  of  tlie  world's  wild  wilderness." 

In  the  tabernacle  there  was  the  typical 
lamb  offered  in  daily  sacrifice ;  in  the  gos- 
pel we  have  the  true  Lamb,  which  was  once 
offered  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world, 
and  which  "  perfects  for  ever  them  that  are 
^sanctified."  In  the  tabernacle  there  was 
manna,  by  eating  which  the  bodies  of  the 


40  THE    NATURE    AND    DESIGN 

people  were  preserved  in  life ;  but  in  the 
gospel  we  have  the  true  Manna,  the 
bread  which  came  down  from  heaven,  and 
of  which  whosoever  eateth  shall  live  for- 
ever. In  the  tabernacle  and  its  service, 
they  had  water  to  drink  that  flowed  from 
the  smitten  rock,  "  which  Kock  was  Christ" 
in  figure.  In  the  gospel  we  have  that 
Hock,  not  in  figure,  but  in  fact,  opening 
up  in  the  heart  of  ea^di  of  His  followers, 
^^  a  well  of  water  that  springeth  up  into 
everlasting  life."  In  the  tabernacle  was 
the  golden  candle-stick  shedding  its  light 
continually  on  all  that  was  in  the  Holy 
Place.  In  the  gospel  we  have  the  Holy 
Ghost,  "the  Lord  and  Giver  of  Light," 
whose  divine  illumination  pervades  the 
minds  of  all  His  people,  "  making  darkness 
light,  and  crooked  things  straight  before 
them,"  and  causing  the  truth  to  shine  into 
their  hearts,  so  that  they  "  shall  know  all 


OF    THE    TABERNACLE.  41 

things."  Ill  the  tabernacle  they  had  the 
cleansing  laver  for  purifying  the  bodies  of 
the  priests  and  Levites, — but  in  the  gospel 
we  have  "  the  fountain  opened  for  sin  and 
for  uncleanness."  in  which  the  vilest  of  the 
vile  may  plunge,  and  wash  their  guilt  away. 
In  the  tabernacle  was  the  golden  altar  with 
its  ascending  incense  typical  of  the  accept- 
ance of  the  prayers  and  services  of  God's 
people;  but  in  the  gospel  we  have  the 
golden  altar  of  the  Cross  of  Christ,  with 
the  incense  of  His  great  sacrifice  ever 
rising  before  the  throne  of  God,  not  iypify- 
ing,  but  insuring  the  acceptance  of  His 
people's  prayers  and  services.  In  the 
tabernacle  was  the  pillar  of  cloud  to  lead 
onward  the  whole  camp  of  Israel  when  they 
were  to  journey;  but  in  the  gospel  we 
have  the  assurance  of  personal  guidance 
through  all  the  labyrinthian  windings    of 

life's    intricate   mazes.       The    promise    to 
4* 


42  THE    NATURE    AND    DESIGN 

every  belie^^er  runs — "I  will  guide  thee 
with  my  counsel,  and  afterwards  receive 
thee  to  glory."  "  Thou  shalt  hear  a  voice 
behind  thee  saying — this  is  the  way  walk 
thou  in  it,  when  thou  turnest  to  the  right 
hand,  or  when  thou  turnest  to  the  left." 
The  relation  which  God  sustained,  in  this 
respect,  to  Israel  as  a  nation.  He  now  sus- 
tains to  His  people  as  individuals.  He 
shades  them  by  day.  He  enlightens  them 
by  night;  He  strengthens  and  comforts, 
He  guides  and  blesses  them  as  their  own 
personal  God.  And  thus,  whatever  blessing 
we  see  Israel  enjoying  in  the  tabernacle, 
in  figure,  we  find  believers  now  enjoying 
in  Christ,  in  fact,  and  in  fulness.  And 
hence  we  see  in  the  tabernacle  an  illustra- 
tion of  the  blessings  wliich'we  enjoy  in  the 
gospel. 

But  further  than  this,  the  tahernacle  fur* 


OF    THE    TABERNACLE.  43 

nislies  us  zvith  a  figurative  vieio  of  our   rela" 
Hon  to  the  heavenly  ivorld. 

St.  Paul  tells  us  distinctly  that  the  tab- 
ernacle and  its  services  were  "patterns  of 
things  in  the  heavens."  Hebrews,  ix.  23. 
They  were  the  counterpart  of  the  very  pat- 
tern which  Moses  himself  saw  in  the 
mount,  and  in  accordance  with  which  he 
erected  the  whole  structure.  The  wilder- 
ness in  the  midst  of  which  the  Tabernacle 
was  set  up,  represented  the  world.  The 
Court  of  the  Tabernacle  and  the  Holy 
Place  represented  the  Church  on  Earth,  in 
its  different  departments.  The  Most  Holy 
Place  represented  the  Church  in  Heaven. 
And  as  we  gaze  upon  the  intimate  relation 
in  which  these  two  parts  of  the  tabernacle 
stood  to  each  other,  the  thought  seems 
naturally  to  force  itself  upon  us,  how  near 
we  may  be  to  that  world  which  lies  within 
the  vail !     We  are  often  tempted  to  think 


44  THE    NATURE    AND    DESIGN 

and  feel  as  if  that  world  must  be  at  an 
immense  distance,  a  vast  remove  from  ns. 
A  proper  consideration  of  the  tabernacle 
would  seem  to  correct  this  impression. 
Look  at  it  for  a  moment.  Here  you  see 
the  Hoi  J  Place,  or  the  Church  on  Earth, 
and  the  Most  Holy  Place,  or  the  Church 
in  Heaven,  in  the  closest  possible  contiguity 
to  each  other.  There  is  only  that  thin 
material  vail  to  separate  them.  We  know 
that  "  angels  and  ministers  of  grace"  attend 
us  continually.     Y^e  know  that — • 

"  Millions  of  spiritual  beings  walk  onr  earth, 
Unseen,  both  when  we  sleep  and  when  we  wake." 

We  cannot  tell  how  near  to  us,  how  closely 
about  us  are  the  things  of  the  unseen 
world.  If  the  mantle  of  invisibility  were 
but  removed,  we  should  see  things  "in 
heaven  and  earth  that  we  have  scarcely 
dreamed  of  in  our  philosophy." 


OF   THE    TABEKNACLE.  45 

"Surely,  yon  heaven,  where  angels  see  God's  face 

Is  not  so  distant  as  we  deem 
From  this  low  earth?     'Tis  but  a  little  space, 

The  narrow  crossing  of  a  slender  stream  ; 
'Tis  but  a  vail  which  winds  might  blow  aside ; 
Yes,  these  are  all  that  us  of  earth  divide 
From  the  bright  dwelling  of  the  glorified, — 

The  Laud  of  which  we  dream  ! 

Those  peaks  are  nearer  heaven  than  earth  below, 
Those  hills  are  higher  than  they  seem  ; 

'Tis  not  the  clouds  they  touch,  nor  the  soft  brow, 
Of  the  o'erbending  azure,  as  we  deem. 

'Tis  the  blue  floor  of  heaven  that  they  upbear ; 

And,  like  some  old  and  wildly  rugged  stair, 

They  lift  us  to  the  Land  where  all  is  fair, — 
The  Land  of  which  we  dream." 

Or  in  tlie  language  of  another  poet — 

"  From  tills  world  to  the  next 
How  short  and  peaceful  may  the  passage  be ! 
One  beating  pulse,  one  feeble  struggle  o'er, 
May  open  wide  the  everlasting  door. 
Yes !  for  that  bliss,  unspeakable,  unseen, 
Is  ready — and  the  vail  of  flesh  between, 
A  gentle  sigh  may  rend." 

Is  it  possible  that  we  may  be  thus  near 


46  THE    NATURE    AND   DESIGN 

the  awful  realities  of  the    eternal  world? 
0  surely,  then,  it  becomes  us  to — 

"  Walk  tlionghtfully  on  tlie  solemn  shore 
Of  that  vast  ocean  we  must  sail  so  soon  !" 

And  thus  we  see  how  the  tabernacle  is 
instructive  to  us  as  affording  an  illustration 
of  the  blessings  of  the  gosjwl ;  and  a  fgiiror 
live  view  of  our  relation  to  the  heavenly 
world. 

In  conclusion  the  subject  we  haye  now 
considered  suggests  to  us — Kotv  thanhfidiue 
should  he  for  the  day  in  tvhich  we  live ! 

It  is  "the  day  of  salvation."  It  is  the 
dispensation  of  the  substance  which  suc- 
ceeded to  that  of  the  shadow.  It  is  the 
time  of  direct  and  full  revelation  as  opposed 
t^  the  time  of  type  and  figure.  It  is  to 
the  dispensation  of  tlie  tabernacle  what  the 
hour  of  noon,  with  its  radiant  splendor,  is 
to  the  hour  of  early  dawn,  with  its    dim 


OF    THE    TABERNACLE.  47 

twilight  and  its  gloom.  It  was  the  deep 
sense  He  had  of  the  superior  glory  and 
privilege  of  this  period  of  the  Church's 
history  w^hich  led  our  Saviour  to  say  to 
His  disciples  : — "  Blessed  are  your  eyes, 
for  they  see,  and  your  ears,  for  they  hear. 
For  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  that  many 
prophets  and  righteous  men  have  desired 
to  see  the  things  which  ye  see,  and  have 
not  seen  them ;  and  to  hear  the  things 
Tv^hich  ye  hear,  and  have  not  heard  them." 
In  regard  to  light,  and  grace,  and  privilege, 
our  position  under  the  gospel  is  exalted 
indeed.  And  if  it  be  true  that  "  to  whom 
much  is  given,  of  them  much  will  be 
required,"  then  it  becomes  us  to  see  well 
to  it,  that  we  improve  diligently  our  privi- 
leges. It  is  a  sad,  sad  thing,  when  we  see 
men  exalted  to  heaven  by  the  abundance 
of  the  blessings  showered  upon  them,  only 
that  like  Capernaum  of  old,  they  should,  in 


48  THE    NATURE    AND    DESIGN 

the  end,  be  thrust  down  to  hell.  Let  not 
this  melancholy  doom  be  ours,  my  Christian 
friends !  0,  let  us  look  at  the  full-orbed 
circle  of  our  blessings,  and  see  what  love, — 
what  gratitude — what  zeal — what  devotion 
should  be  ours !  Let  us  seek  the  grace 
which  will  enable  us  to  walk  worthy  of  our 
high  calling,  and  to  render  to  the  Lord 
according  to  all  His  unspeakable  goodness 
to  us.  Constrained  "  by  the  mercies  of 
God,  let  us  present  ourselves  a  living  sacri- 
fice, holy  and  acceptable  to  God,  which  is 
our  reasonable  service." 

And,  my  dear  friends,  who  are  not 
Christians,  if  connection  with  the  covenant 
of  God's  grace  in  Jesus  is  so  blessed,  how 
can  you  be  satisfied  to  remain  without  a 
personal  interest  therein  ?  You  are  still 
wanderers  in  the  gloomy  wilderness  of  this 
fallen  world.  The  dangers  and  discomforts, 
and  deprivations  of  the  wilderness  are  all 


OF    THE    TABERNACLE.  49 

yours.  You  have  no  covenant  cloud  to 
shelter  and  guide  you.  No  sacrifice  puts 
forth  its  atoning  efficacy  in  your  behalf. 
There  is  no  living  water  from  the  Smitten 
Kock,  of  which  you  can  drink  to  satisfy 
the  longings  of  your  thu'sty  soul.  There 
is  no  bread  from  heaven,  of  which  you  can 
eat  to  sustain  and  strengthen  your  famish- 
ing spirit.  Unsheltered,  weary  wanderers 
in  this  waste  howling  wilderness,  I  take 
my  stand  to-night  by  the  gate  of  entrance 
to  the  gospel  tabernacle,  and  in  the  name 
of  its  Builder  Jesus,  I  invite  you  to  come 
in.  Here  is  the  sheltering,  guiding  cloud ; 
come,  rest  beneath  its  shadow.  Here  is 
the  Heavenly  Lamb  whose  blood  alone  has 
power  to  cleanse  from  all  sin,  come  and  let 
Him  sprinkle  your  guilty  soul  with  His 
precious  blood.  Here  is  the  water  of  life 
flowing  clear  as  crystal.  It  will  follow  you 
all  through  the  wilderness.     0  drink,  and 


60  THE    TABERNACLE. 

your  soul  will  be  revived,  and  you  will 
live.  Here  is  the  bread  that  cometh  down 
from  heaven.  Come,  eat  of  it,  and  your 
soul  will  never  hunger  again.  Here  is  light 
that  streams  down  from  the  golden  candle- 
stick of  the  upper  sanctuary.  Its  revela- 
tions are  wonderful.  Come  and  see  what 
they  are.  Here  is  the  incense  of  unceasing 
intercession — come  and  share  in  its  untold 
benefits.  It  is  Jesus  bids  you  come.  "  The 
Spirit  and  the  Bride  say,  come.  Let  him 
that  heareth  say,  come.  Let  him  that  is 
athirst  come  :  and  whosoever  will,  let  him 
come,  and  take  of  the  water  of  life  freely." 
There  yet  is  room — come  1 


CHAPTER    11. 


"CIjc  im  s^all  tbn  ht   burmng  iipoit  ilje  g^Iiar;  il 
cl^all  nckr  ao  out" — LE^^TIcus,  vi.  13. 


II 


In    a  volume  of   published  sermons   of 

the   eloquent  Henry  Melvill   there   is    an 

interesting    discourse    on   Christ's    victory 

over  Satan.     It  is  founded  on  the  words — 

"For  this  purpose  was   the   Son    of  God 

manifested,   that   He    might    destroy    the 

works  of  the   devil."      In    proceeding    to 

speak  of  the  history  and  character  of  Satan, 

he  says  : — "  How  abruptly  is  the  tempter 

introduced  upon  the  scene !     There  is  no 

account  given  of   this    mysterious    being  5 

but  suddenly,  without  the  least  intimation 

who  the  invader  is,  or  what  region  he  had 

heretofore   traversed,  a  fierce  irruption   is 

made  into  the  youthful  paradise,  and  crea- 
6* 


54  THE     BRAZEN    ALTAR. 

tures  formed  in  the  very  image  of  God, 
dislocate  their  own  happiness,  and  that  of 
a  countless  posterit}^  There  seems  to  be 
a  chapter  wanting,  and  the  history  of  the 
defeat  of  man  appears  to  demand  a  history 
of  the  conqueror  of  man.  We  should  be 
better  prepared  to  account  for  evil  gaining 
a  footing  on  earth,  if  we  were  furnished 
w^ith  an  account  of  its  first  appearance  in 
the  universe.     But  this  is  wanting." 

We  cannot  but  experience  a  feeling  akin 
to  this,  when  we  come  to  consider  the  sub- 
ject of  burnt-offerings,  or  animal  sacrifices 
in  connection  with  the  worship  of  God. 
The  first  notice  that  we  have  of  these  very 
significant  and  suggestive  acts  of  divine 
worship,  takes  us  back  to  the  very  gates  of 
Paradise.  There  we  see  Abel,  standing 
beside  his  altar,  and  the  smoke  of  the  flame 
which  consumes  the  innocent  victim,  is 
ascending  to  heaven  in  our  sight.     We  see 


THE     BRAZEN    ALTAR.  00 

the  offering  of  sacrifices  introduced  by  men, 
as  a  part  of  the  worsliip  of  Jehovah.  We 
see  it  accepted  of  God,  and  continued,  from 
age  to  age,  through  a  period  of  four  thousand 
years,  till  Christ  came,  (God's  own  pro- 
vided, spotless  Lamb,)  to  take  away  the 
sins  of  the  world.  And  yet,  the  strange 
thing  about  it  is,  that  there  is  not  a  single 
word,  recorded  or  revealed,  about  the 
origin  and  institution  of  sacrifices.  Here 
again  there  seems  to  be  "  a  chapter  want- 
ing.'" We  see  a  most  solemn  and  important 
rite  of  divine  worship  in  established  use, 
without  having  any  account  whatever  of  its 
introduction.  And  yet  there  is  not  the 
least  shadow  of  doubt  as  to  the  authority 
by  which  it  was  introduced.  The  idea  of 
taking  away  the  life  of  innocent  creatures, 
in  typical  atonement  for  man  s  sin,  could 
never  have  originated  in  the  mind  of  man. 
And  it  never  could  have  been  accepted  of 


56  THE     BRAZEN     ALTAR. 

God  J  or  continued  in  connection  with  the 
worship  which  His  people  offer  to  Hiin,  if 
it  had  been  a  mere  human  invention.  This 
argument  is  conclusive.  If  we  could  put 
our  finger  on  the  chapter  and  verse,  in  the 
early  part  of  Genesis,  which  contained  the 
account  of  the  inauguration  of  these  sacri- 
fices, we  should  not  feel  a  whit  more  certi- 
fied, that  they  had  their  origin  in  the 
authority  and  command  of  God. 

This  train  of  introductory  thought  was 
suggested  by  the  consideration  of  the 
Brazen  Altar,  or  the  altar  of  burnt-offering, 
which  is  to  be  the  theme  of  our  present 
meditation. 

There  w^ere  two  altars  connected  with  the 
Jewish  Tabernacle.  One  of  these  was  a 
large  altar,  the  other  was  a  small  one  :  one 
was  made  of  brass,  the  other  was  made  of 
gold ;  one  was  designed  for  the  offering  of 
burnt-sacrifices,  the  other  for  the  offering  of 


THE  ALTAR  OF   I5UKNT  OFFERING. 
Jewish  Tabernacle. 


p.  56. 


THE    BRAZEN     ALTAR.  57 

incense ;  one  stood  without,  in  the  Court  of 
the  Tabernacle,  the  other  stood  within  the 
Tabernacle,  in  the  Holy  Place  itself.  It  is 
the  first  of  these  that  we  are  now  to  con 
sider.  The  other  will  come  up  for  our  con- 
sideration hereafter. 

This  first  altar  was  distinguished  from 
the  other  in  two  ways.  It  was  denomi- 
nated, by  way  of  excellence,  "  The  Al- 
tary  Our  English  word  altar  is  a  very 
unmeaning  one.  The  etymology  of  it  has 
no  significance  at  all.  It  comes  from  the 
Latin  word  alius,  and  that  denotes  nothing 
but  a  high,  or  elevated  place.  The  Hebrew 
word  for  altar  is  one  which  conveys  the 
idea  of  a  sacrifice.  It  comes  from  an  old 
root  which  signifies  to  slay,  or  to  slaughter. 
So  that  when  the  Hebrew  spoke  of  the 
altar,  the  very  term  which  he  employed 
told  him  of  a  place,  where  sacrifices  wero 


58  THE     BRAZEN    ALTAR. 

offered;  where  blood  was  shed,  and  life  was 
taken  away. 

The  other  phrase,  used  to  designate  this 
piece  of  the  furniture  of  the  tabernacle,  was 
"  the  altar  of  burnt-offering. '  The  Hebrew 
word  for  burnt-offering  denotes  that  which 
ascends,  or  mounts  up,  as  the  flame  and 
smoke  did  on  this  altar,  when  the  victim 
was  consumed  upon  it.  That  which  was 
presented  on  this  brazen  altar,  was  a  whole 
burnt-offering.  Every  thing  connected  with 
it  ascended,  or  went  up  to  God.  And  con- 
templated from  this  point  of  view,  what  a 
beautiful  type  this  altar  of  burnt-offering 
was  of  the  cross,  our  altar,  our  onlf/  altar  in 
the  Christian  Church,  and  on  which  Jesus, 
the  heavenly  Lamb,  was  offered.  He  was 
emphatically  a  tvhole  burnt-offering.  It  is 
said  of  Him  that  "He  gave  Himself  for 
us."  Yes,  His  entire  self.  He  kept  nothing 
back.     Body,  soul,  and  spirit;    his  entii'© 


THE     BRAZEN    ALTAR.  59 

humanity,  his  absolute  divinity,  went  to 
make  up  the  sacrifice.  Hence  we  read  in 
one  place,  that  "  God  spared  not  His  oiun 
Son,  but  dehvered  Him  up  for  us  all." 
And  hence  also  we  read  in  another  place  of 
"the  Church  of  God,  which  He  has  pur- 
chased with  His  own  Uood^  All,  therefore, 
that  went  to  make  up  the  person  of  God's 
own  Son  in  the  complex  nature  of  His 
mysterious  being,  we  are  to  regard  as  con- 
stituting the  ivliole  hurnt-offering,  which 
Jesus  presented,  for  us,  on  the  cross. 

We  notice  next  the  materials,  of  which 
this  altar  was  composed.  These  were  two, 
viz.,  shittim,  or  acacia  wood,  and  brass, 
which  overlaid  and  covered  the  wood  in 
every  part.  There  was  a  need  for  the 
employment  of  both  these  materials.  The 
wood,  if  not  protected  by  the  overlaying 
brass,  would  have  been  consumed  by  the 
flamO;  wliich  burnt  up  the  offering,  while 


60  THE     BRAZEN    ALTAR. 

the  brass,  if  employed  alone  in  the  con- 
struction of  the  altar,  would  have  made  it 
too  heavy  for  the  purposes  of  transportation 
in  their  journey ings  through  the  wilder- 
ness. 

Now  this  altar  of  burnt-sacrifice,  with 
the  offerings  presented  upon  it,  stands  be- 
fore us  as  a  type  of  Christ  and  his  cross. 
And  the  materials,  of  which  the  altar  was 
composed,  point  strikingly  to  His  two-fold 
nature.  His  humanity,  if  found  alone, 
would  have  been  consumed  by  the  fire  of 
divine  justice,  which  blazed  forth  against 
Him,  when  He  stood  as  our  substitute,  and 
bore  our  sins,  in  His  own  body,  on  the 
tree.  And  then,  on  the  other  hand.  His 
divinity,  if  found  alone,  like  the  altar,  if  all 
of  brass,  would  have  been  too  oppressive 
for  us.  It  would  have  made  us  afraid  by 
its  excellency,  and  would  have  overwhelmed 
us  by  its  majesty.     But  blended  with  the 


THE     BRAZEN     ALTAR.  61 

humanity,  and  tempered  and  softened  by 
its  transmission  through  the  vail  of  flesh,  it 
meets  our  necessities  in  every  respect,  and 
furnishes  us  with  just  the  help  and  com 
fort  that  we  need. 

In  its  form  and  dimensions  the  altar  of 
burnt-offering  was  a  square,  hollow  box, 
without  either  top  or  bottom.  It  was  five 
cubits  broad,  and  three  cubits  high. 
Reckoning  the  cubit  at  eighteen  inches, 
this  would  give  us  seven  feet  six  inches  for 
its  breadth,  i,  e.,  for  the  length  of  each  of 
its  sides,  and  four  feet  six  inches  for  its 
height.  It  was  just  twice  the  size  of  the 
ark,  and  was  the  largest  article  of  furni- 
ture connected  with  the  tabernacle.  There 
were  four  horns,  or  projections,  one  on  each 
corner  of  the  altar.  These  may  have  been 
in  part  for  beauty,  and  in  part  also  for  use. 
It  is  to  these  that  the  Psalmist  refers  when 
he  speaks  of   "binding  the  sacrifice  with 


62  THE    BRAZEN     ALTAR. 

cords,  GA-en  unto  the  horns  of  the  altar." 
There  was  a  grating  of  brass,  which 
stretched  across  tho  whole  interior  of  the 
altar.  It  was  not  level  with  the  top  of 
the  altar,  but  was  placed  some  distance 
below  the  top.  On  this  grating  the  sacred 
fire  was  kept  ever  burning.  In  the  lan- 
guage of  the  text  it  was  "never  to  go 
out."  There  were  diiTerent  brazen  vessels 
also  connected  with  the  service  of  this 
altar.  There  were  shovels  for  gathering 
up  the  ashes,  and  pans,  in  which  thej  were 
carried  away,  and  basins  for  receiving  the 
blood,  and  flesh-hooks  for  handling  the 
pieces,  and  fire-pans,  in  which  the  sacred 
fire  was  carried  and  kept  alive  as  they  went 
onwards  in  their  journeyings. 

The  one  use  to  which  this  altar  was  de- 
voted, was  that  of  consuming  the  yearly, 
the  weekly,  and  the  daily  sacrifice.  Here 
the  lambs  were  continually  slain  and  offered 


THE     BRAZEN    ALTAR.  63 

unto  God.  And  from  this  hallowed  spot, 
from  the  blood  here  shed,  from  the  fire 
ever-burning  here,  and  the  victim  con- 
sumed therein,  there  went  forth  unceasingly 
those  atoning  influences,  which  in  a  cere- 
monial, or  figurative  sense,  purged  the  con- 
sciences of  the  worshippers  from  sin,  and 
rendered  their  persons  and  services  accept- 
able to  God.  And  now,  having  dwelt  thus 
far  on  the  structure  and  use  of  the  altar 
of  burnt-offering,  we  are  prepared  to  con- 
sider the  lessons  we  may  gather  from  it, 
when  regard  is  had  to  its  typical  teachings. 

In  proceeding  to  this  part  of  our  suhiect, 
there  are  five  different  points  of  view,  from 
which  we  may  contemplate  this  altar,  each 
of  which  will  furnish  us  with  a  distinct  les- 
son of  great  practical  importance. 

Aiid  the  first  thing  to  ivhich  I  would  call 
your  attention  in  connection  with  the  altar  of 
hurnt'offering    is    the    prominence    assigned 


64  THE    BRAZEN    ALTAR. 

to  it  in  connection   ivitli   the  Jeivish   Taher* 
nacle. 

Just  look  at  its  position.  It  stood  im- 
mediately in  front  of  the  gate  of  the  tab- 
ernacle, or  the  entrance  to  the  sacred 
enclosure.  It  was  the  first  object  which 
met  the,  eye  of  the  worshipper,  as  he  drew 
nigh  to  present  his  offering  to  God,  and  the 
last  which  he  beheld  on  retiring  from  that 
service.  Its  place  was  the  outer  court. 
It  was  not  hidden  in  some  deep  recess, 
some  inner  shrine,  removed  from  the  gaze 
of  sinners ;  nor  did  it  stand  within  the  tab- 
ernacle to  be  sought  for  by  many,  but  to 
be  reached  and  seen  only  by  a  few.  No ; 
but  it  ivas  placed  in  the  sight  of  all.  Some 
parts  of  the  tabernacle  furniture  were  hid- 
den from  the  public  view.  The  candle- 
stick, the  table  of  shew-bread,  and  the 
golden  altar  of  incense  were  within  the 
Holy   Place,  which  none   but   the  priests 


THE     BRAZEN     ALTAR.  05 

might  enter.  And  the  ark  of  the  covenant 
was  behind  the  vail,  in  the  Most  Holy 
Place,  where  only  the  high-priest  might 
enter  on  the  solemn  day  of  annual  atone- 
ment. But  it  was  very  different  with  this 
altar.  It  was  not  hidden.  There  was  no 
screen  before  it,  "Nothing  surrounded  it 
but  a  thin  fence  of  fine-twined  linen,  or 
net-work,  which  concealed  nothing,  and 
within  which  the  whole  congregation  might 
pass  at  their  pleasure.  It  was  plainly 
visible  from  without.  It  invited  attention, 
and  no  one  could  help  seeing  it  without 
wilfully,  turning  away  his  eyes.  From  day 
to  day  the  smoke  went  up,  and  the  blood 
streamed  down  from  it,  a  pledge  that  all 
who  would,  might  be  purged  from  pollution 
there."* 

We  have  no  material  altar.     The  Lord's 
table,   which   some   ignorantly,   and   others 

*  Garrett's  Scripture  Sjinholisru. 


66  THE     BRAZEN    ALTAR. 

presumptuously  designate  an  altar,  is  not 
an  altar,  and  should  never  be  called  by  that 
name.  The  Christian  Church  never  has  had 
any  altars,  and,  without  making  void  the 
gospel,  it  never  can  have.  "  When  Popery 
overran  the  Church  with  its  errors,  altars 
were  introduced.  But  vfhen  the  Reforma- 
tion dawned,  they  were  removed.  There 
was  nothing,  indeed,  about  which  the  Re- 
formers were  more  careful,  than  the  purging 
of  the  Churches  from  these  relics  of  super- 
stition. The  Romish  altars  were  taken 
down,  because  they  were  symbohcal  of 
error,  just  as  the  brazen  altar  was  built  up, 
because  it  was  symbolical  of  truth.  And 
our  Reformers  excluded  the  word  altar 
from  the  Prayer  Book,  as  carefully  as  the 
altar  itself  from  the  Church."  '^ 

But  thoudi  v»'e  have  no  material   altar, 
we  have  that  which  the  brazen  altar  dimly 

*  Garrett's  Scripture  Symbolism. 


THE    BRAZEN    ALIAR.  67 

sliadowed  forth.  The  cross  of  Christ,  on 
which  he  was  once  offered,  "the  just  for 
the  unjust,  to  bring  us  to  God ;"  this  is  our 
altar.  Not  the  wood  of  the  cross,  but  the 
sufferings  of  the  cross,  the  one  perfect  aione- 
ment,  once  made  there  "for  the  sins  of  the 
whole  world." 

Look  now  at  the  position  which  God  as- 
signed to  the  altar  of  sacrifice  in  the  Jewish 
Tabernacle,  that  heaven-sketched  symbol  of 
the  Church.  Behold  one  of  the  marks  of  a 
true  Church.  It  will  give  great  prominence 
to  the  altar,  the  cross  of  Christ,  or  the 
doctrine  of  His  atoning  sacrifice.  "  Let 
us  imagine  ourselves  at  the  door  of  a 
Romish  church.  It  is  broad  day-light; 
but  as  we  look  through  a  smaH  open  door 
into  the  church,  all  is  dark.  Scarcely  any- 
thing is  .visible.  Presently,  far  off  in 
the  distance,  in  a  gloomy  recess,  a  mys- 
terious  sort  of  shrinC;  it  is   just  possible 


68  THE    BRAZEN    ALTAR. 

to  discover  the  form  of  an  altar,  with 
two  lighted  candles  on  it.  Everything  is 
contrived  with  admirable  scenic  effect,  to 
give  that  impression  of  awe,  concealment, 
and  mystery,  which  is  so  characteristic  of 
the  worship  of  that  Chnrch.  What  a  con- 
trast you  have  here  between  the  enshrined 
altar  of  Popery,  wdth  its  deep  recesses,  its 
covering  screen,  and  its  '  dim  religions 
light,'  on  the  one  hand,  and  God's  altar  on 
the  other,  in  the  open  court  of  the  taber- 
nacle, in  the  full  light  of  day,  and  before 
the  eyes  of  all  men  !"* 

The  Tractarian  writers  in  our  own  Church 
have  taught  what  is  known  as  "  the  doctrine 
of  reserved  They  would  have  the  atone- 
ment of  Christ  and  the  great  truths  centring 
in  it,  kept  in  the  background,  and  not  made 
prominent  in  the  ordinary  ministrations  of 
the  sanctuary.     But  you  cannot  look  upon 

*  GaiTett's  Scripture  Symbolism. 


THE    BRAZEN    ALTAR.  69 

the  Court  of  the  Tabernacle,  and  see  where 
God  placed  the  altar  of  burnt-ofFering,  with- 
out feeling  how  solemnly  He  rebukes  such 
an  idea  as  utterly  erroneous.  The  altar  of 
the  Christian  Church,  like  that  of  the 
Church  in  the  wilderness,  must  always  take 
precedence.  It  must  stand  in  the  forefront 
of  every  thing.  The  office  of  the  Christian 
Church,  and  the  Christian  Ministry  is,  not 
to  hide  away  the  altar  in  dark  recesses, 
and  behind  overshadowing  screens ;  not  to 
hold  back  the  doctrine  of  the  atoning  sacri-» 
fice  of  Christ,  and  keep  it  in  reserve,  but 
to  set  it  forth  in  the  broad  light  of  day  ; — ^ 
to  hold  it  up  before  the  eyes  of  all  men ; — 
to  proclaim  it  from  the  house-tops ;  to 
preach  it  "first,  last,  midst,  and  without 
end ;"  to  "  know  nothing  else  among  men 
save  Jesus  Christ,  and  him  crucified." 
This  lesson  we  are  taudit  when  we  see  tho 


70  THE    BEAZEN    ALTAR. 

'prominence  assigned  to  the  altar  of  burnt- 
offering  in  the  tabernacle. 

In  taJcing  our  second  look  at  this  altar,  we 

7l0tice  THE  RELATION  WHICH  IT  BORE  TO  EVERY 
OTHER     PART     OF     THE    TABERNACLE.       It     WaS 

the  most  important  part  of  the  whole  tab- 
ernacle. Like  the  root  to  the  tree,  like  the 
foundation  to  the  building,  like  the  fountain 
to  the  stream,  like  the  mainspring  to  the 
watch,  like  the  heart  to  the  body,  it  was 
that,  on  which  every  other  part  of  the 
sacred  structure  depended,  and  from  which 
it  derived  all  its  value.  The  tabernacle 
itself  could  not  be  entered,  nor  any  part  of 
its  hallowed  furniture  be  made  use  of,  till 
it  had  been  sprinkled  with  the  blood  of  the 
victim  offered  upon  this  altar.  Tiike  away 
the  altar  of  burnt-sacrifice,  and  every  part 
of  the  tabernacle,  however  splendid,  would 
have  been  useless.  Beyond  it  stood  the 
laver^  in  which  the  priest  might  desire  to 


THE    BRAZEN    ALTAR.  71 

wash.  In  the  tabernacle  stood  the  golden 
candle-stick,  shedding  around  its  hallowed 
light;  over  against  it  was  the  table  of 
shew-bread,  ever  furnished  with  its  abund- 
ant supply  of  food ;  and  between  them, 
just  before  the  vail,  stood  the  golden  altar, 
from  which  the  fragrance  of  sweet  incense 
went  up  continually.  Yet  there  w^as  no  way 
of  access  to  any  of  these  but  by  the  brazen 
altar.  That  must  be  first  approached. 
And  not  only  did  the  way  of  access  to  them 
lie  hi/  this  altar,  but  it  was  from  it  they 
derived  all  their  efficac3^  They  were 
formed  of  shittim  wood,  and  overlaid  with 
gold,  and  wrought  into  forms  of  exr[uisite 
beauty;  but  they  could  not  beghi  to  sub- 
serve the  different  ofiices,  for  which  they 
ViQYQ  designed,  or  be  of  the  slightest  use 
to  the  worshippers,  till  the  blood  shed  upon 
the  brazen  altar  had  been  sprinkled  upon 
them.*     This  must  be  first  applied  to  every* 


72  THE    BRAZEN    ALTAR. 

thing.  The  priests,  tlieir  garments,  tlis 
sacred  vessels,  the  ark  itself,  all  were  unfit 
for  service,  were  worthless  for  the  purposes 
of  worship,  till  the  blood  from  the  altar  had 
touched,  and  sanctified  them.  How  in- 
structive !  How  suggestive !  This  altar 
represents  the  cross  of  Christ.  As  we  look 
at  it  from  this  point  of  view^  we  seem  to 
see  written  on  it  as  vdth  a  sunbeam,  the 
great  practical  truth,  that  the  way  to 
heaven, — -the  only  way  by  which  any  of 
our  ruined  race  can  enter  there, — lies  over 
Calvary.  There  is  no  pardon,  no  renewal, 
no  acceptance,  no  righteousness,  no  peace, 
no  grace,  no  blessing,  no  salvation  to  any 
of  Adam's  children,  but  through  the  sacri- 
fice once  offered  upon  the  cross.  What  an 
illustrated  commentary,  this  brazen,  blazing 
altar  aifords,  of  the  truth  and  meaning  of 
the  apostle's  words,  when  he  declares  that 
"  without  the  shedding  of  blood  there  is  no 


THE    BRAZEN     ALTAR.  73 

remission."  Yes,  but  then  it  is  equally  a 
truth,  that  without  the  application  of  that 
blood  there  is  no  remission.  It  is  not  the 
blood  as  shed  that  sanctifi8S  and  saves,  but 
the  blood  as  applied,  or  sprinlded. 

And  this  is  true  not  of  our  persons  only, 
but  of  our  services  also.  No  function  of  the 
officiating  priest  could  be  discharged,  no 
act  of  worship  on  the  part  of  the  waiting 
people  could  be  accepted,  till  there  had  first 
been  the  intervention  of  the  blood  from 
the  brazen  altar.  And  it  is  precisely  so 
with  that,  which  this  significant  shadow 
typified.  "Accepted  in  the  beloved,"  is 
the  great  underlying  doctrine  of  the  gospel. 
Our  prayers,  our  praises,  our  sighs,  our 
tears,  our  repentance,  our  faith,  our  words, 
our  actions,  our  labors,  our  sufferings,  our 
vows,  our  alms-givings,  our  sermons,  our 
sacraments, — all  things  that  may  be  crowded 
into  the  entire  circle  of  our  services, — have 


74  THE    BRAZEN     ALTAR. 

woi  th,  or  merit,  not  in  themselves,  but  only 
as  they  stand  connected  with  the  sacrifice 
which  Jesus  offered  on  the  cross,  and  are 
sprinkled  with  His  atoning  blood,  in  all  its 
prevailing  efficacy.  This  lesson  is  taught 
us  by  the  relation,  which  the  brazen  altar 
bore  to  every  other  part  of  the  tabernacle. 

Our  third  lesson  from  this  altar  is  suggested 
hg  the  continuity  of  the  offerings  presented 
iqion  it. 

There  was  to  be  no  cessation,  no  suspen- 
sion, or  interruption  of  the  service  here 
rendered.  The  command  of  God  was  im- 
perative on  this  point.  The  law  of  the 
offering  was  most  stringent  in  this  respect. 
The  words  of  our  text  contain  God's  law 
respecting  it : — "  The  fire  upon  the  altar 
shall  be  burning  in  it ;  it  shall  not  be  put 
out ;  and  the  priest  shall  burn  wood  upon 
it  every  morning,  and  lay  the  burnt-offering 
in  order  upon   it.     The  fire   shall  'ever   he 


THE     BRAZEN    ALTAR.  75 

himting  upon  the  altar ;  it  sliall  never  go 
out''  Here  you  see  the  continuity  of  these 
offerings  especially  provided  for.  Morning 
by  morning,  evening  by  evening,  week  by 
week,  month  by  month,  and  year  by  year, 
they  were  to  be  kept  up.  The  necessity 
for  applying  to  this  altar  would  be  a  con- 
stantly recurring  one.  There  was  no  hour 
in  any  day,  or  any  night,  when  some  trans- 
gressor would  not  require  to  avail  himself 
of  the  benefits  of  the  offering  here  pre- 
sented, and  hence  the  sacrificial  flame  was 
never  to  go  out.  But  here  the  Jewish 
type,  or  shadow,  fails  of  accurately  repre- 
senting the  Christian  antitype,  or  substance. 
The  continuance  of  the  sacrifice  on  the 
brazen  altar  of  the  Jewish  Church  could 
only  be  maintained  by  the  repetition  of  the 
offering.  But  there  is  a  continuance  of  the 
sacrifice  in  the  Christian  Church,  though 
the   offering  once   made   on  our  aliar,   tha 


76  THE    BSAZEN    ALTAR. 

cross,  has  neier  l)een  repeated.  And  the 
explanation  of  the  difference  is  very  sim- 
ple, and  as  satisfactory  as  it  is  simple.  The 
sacrifice  on  the  Jewish  altar  was  an  imper- 
fect sacrifice,  and  hence  the  necessity  for  its 
repetition.  They  were  "sacrifices,"  as  St. 
Paul  says,  "  offered  year  by  year  con- 
tinually, which  could  never  make  the  comers 
thereunto  perfect."  Our  sacrifice,  offered 
upon  the  cross,  is  a  perfect  sacrifice,  and 
therefore  it  needs  no  repetition.  It  was 
offered  "once  for  all;"  and  by  this  one 
offering,  Jesus,  our  great  High-Priest,  "  per- 
fects forever  them  that  are  sanctified  f  i.  e., 
all  His  believing  people.  The  offering  was 
once  made,  but  the  merits,  the  influence, 
the  efficacy  of  the  offering,  abide  con- 
tinually. And  because  it  thus  abides,  there 
needs  no  repetition  of  it.  A  repeated  sacri- 
fice is  imperfect,  and  good  for  nothing. 
And  if  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper 


THE     BRAZEN    ALTAR.  iJ 

is  a  real  sacrifice,  a  repeated  sacrifice,  as 
the  Church  of  Rome,  and  Komaniziiig 
teachers  in  our  own  Church  affirm,  then 
•we  are  no  better  off  than  the  Jews  were. 
Our  sacrifice  is  as  imperfect  as  tlieirs  was. 
The  repetition  of  it  would  prove  it  so.  But 
it  has  never  been  repeated.  Yet  it  is  a 
continual  sacrifice.  Come  to  it  in  youth,  or 
in  age,  by  day  or  by  night;  come  to  it 
twenty  times  a  day ;  come  as  often  as  the 
consciousness  of  sin  recurs  to  you,  and  you 
will  find  it  always  the  same.  On  our  altar 
of  the  cross  "  the  fire  is  ever  burning ;  it 
never  goes  out."  The  fulness  of  its  efficacy 
never  abates  in  the  slightest  degree.  The 
hand  of  faith  stretched  out  to  it,  the  eye  of 
faith  directed  towards  it,  will  never  fail  to 
secure  the  benefit  of  its  power  to  atone;  to 
pardon,  to  bless,  to  save.  It  is  a  precious 
lesson,  which  the  continuity  of  the  offerings 
on  the  altar  teaches. 


78  THE     BRAZEN    ALTAR. 

Ou7'  fourth  lesson  is  taught  us,  when  toe 
consider  the  efficacy  of  the  offerings  p?'e- 
S2nted  on  the  hrazen  altar. 

You  may  say,  indeed,  that  we  have  just 
spoken  of  their  imperfection,  and  that  is 
true.  So  far  as  "purging  the  conscience 
from  dead  works"  was  concerned ;  as  to  the 
actual  "taking  away  of  sin,"  or  as  the 
apostle  expresses  it,  as  to  ^^  making  the 
comers  thereunto  perfect,"  the  Jewish  sacri- 
fices were  inefficacious.  But,  remember 
that  this  is  not  what  they  were  designed  for. 
And  it  is  always  proper  to  take  into  con- 
sideration the  design  had  in  view  in  the 
ordaining  of  any  law,  or  the  establishment 
of  any  service,  before  you  affirm  inefficacy, 
or  failure,  as  characterizing  it.  John  the 
Baptist  was  sent,  not  as  the  Messiah,  but 
as  one  whose  office  was  to  bear  witness  of 
Ilim.  If  John  were  judged  by  the  standard 
of  our  expectations  in  regard  to  Christ,  we 


THE     BRAZEN     ALTAR.  79 

should  say  he  was  a  failure.  But  judge 
him  by  the  light  of  what  he  was  sent  to  do, 
by  the  witness  he  bore  to  Christ,  and  you 
see  that  John  was  no  failure.  He  was  an 
efficient,  faithful  witness-bearer. 

The  morning-star  is  not  the  sun.  It  is 
only  sent  to  herald  the  sun's  approach. 
Weigh  the  morning-star  in  the  sun's  bal- 
ances, and  it  will  be  found  wanting.  You 
will  pronounce  it  an  imperfection,  a  failure. 
But  consider  what  its  mission  is,  the  Crea- 
tor's design  respecting  it,  to  act  as  the 
fore-runner  of  the  king  of  day,  and  you  will 
see  only  the  perfection  of  beauty  in  the 
mild  radiance  of  its  silver  rays. 

And  just  so  it  was  with  the  sacrifices 
offered  on  the  brazen  altar.  They  were  not 
intended  to  do  for  the  Jews  what  the  sacri- 
fice of  Christ  does  for  us.  They  were  only 
types^  or  shadows  of  that  sacrifice.  Of 
course  they  could  only  have  a  typical,  or 


80  THE     BRAZEN     ALTAR. 

shadowy  efficacy.  This,  however,  they  had 
in  perfection.  They  were  only  designed  to 
impart  a  ceremonial  cleanness.  They  were 
only  intended  to  qualify  the  comers  there- 
unto to  engage  acceptably  in  the  worship 
:■[  God,  and  through  faith  to  seek  from 
Him  the  benefits  and  blessings  of  that  great 
sacrifice,  which  they  represented,  and  which 
was,  in  the  fulness  of  time,  to  be  offered. 
Their  office  was  very  limited,  or  circum- 
scribed. But  so  far  as  this  office,  or  design, 
extended,  they  were  perfedli/  efficacious. 
And  here  the  brazen  altar  points  signifi- 
cantly to  the  cross  of  Christ.  It  speaks  to 
us,  in  eloquent  tones,  of  the  thorough  effi- 
cacy, the  absolute  perfection  of  the  sacrifice 
lie  offered.  The  Jewish  altar,  with  its 
sacrifice,  did  perfectly  what  it  was  designed 
to  do.  And  so  it  is  with  the  Christian 
altar,  the  cross,  and  the  sacrifice  there 
oiTered.     It  \vas  designed  to  put  away  sin, 


THE    BBAZEN     ALTAR.  81 

and  it  does  tliis  so  perfectly,  that  God  says 
of  those  who  are  interested  in  this  sacrifice, 
that  their  "  sins  are  blotted  out  as  a  cloud ;' 
they  are  *^cast  into  the  depths  of  the 
sea ;" — they  "  shall  not  be  remembered,  nor 
come  into  mind."  The  sacrifice  of  the  cross 
was  designed  to  secure  pardon  to  penitent 
believers,  and  it  does  this  so  perfectly,  that 
God  declares  of  those  who  trust  in  it,  that 
he  "  does  not  behold  iniquity,  nor  see  per- 
Terseness  in  them."  The  sacrifice  of  the 
cross  was  designed  "  to  bring  in  everlasting 
righteousness,"  and  it  does  this  so  perfectly, 
that  those  who  are  arrayed  in  the  robes  of 
salvation,  which  Jesus  puts  upon  His  people, 
are  declared  '^ faultless,''  not  when  judged 
by  erring  human  standards,  but  when  the 
decision  comes  from  the  unerring  standard 
of  the  court  of  heaven.  '-  Without  spot  or 
wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing,"  is  the  verdict 
uttered  concerning  them.     They  stand  be- 


82  THE     BRAZEN     ALTAR. 

fore  God  on  the  same  level  on  which  His 
own  beloved  Son  stands.  He  proclaims  to 
all  the  Universe,  that  "they  are  righteous 
even  as  He  is  rigMeousr  This  is  glorious. 
IIow  perfect  that  sacrifice  must  be,  from 
which  results  so  perfect  as  these  flow  out 
to  a  ruined  world !  Perfect  pardon,  perfect 
righteousness,  perfect  peace,  and  perfect 
salvation,  these  are  the  blessed  fruits  which 
flow  out,  to  us^  from  the  sacrifice  of  Christ. 
And  they  are  fruits  which  may  be  gathered 
now.  They  may  be  gathered  all  along  the 
pathway  of  our  pilgrimage,  as  the  returning 
penitent  stretches  forth  the  hand  of  trem- 
bling faith^  and  lays  hold  upon  the  altar. 
The  efficacy  of  Christ's  sacrifice  is  taught  us 
as  we  gaze  upon  the  brazen  altar  from  the 
point  of  view  now  before  us. 

The  fifth  and  last  lesson  taught  lis  hg  this 
altar  is  secn^  tvhen  we  observe  the  extent  ov 

ITS  BENEFITS. 


THE     BRAZEN    ALTAR.  83 

It  was  open  to  all.  Not  only  might  all 
of  the  Jewish  nation  draw  nigh  to  this 
altar,  and  share  in  its  blessings,  but  all  of 
any  other  nation  might  do  the  same,  if  they 
would  come  in  the  way  which  God  pointed 
out.  There  were  restrictions  and  limita- 
tions about  the  Holy  Place,  and  the  Most 
Holy  Place,  but  there  were  none  about  the 
brazen  altar.  Only  the  priests  could  enter 
within  the  yail,  and  have  access  to  the 
mercy-seat,  but  the  people— a//  ilie  inople — 
might  have  access  to  the  altar  of  burnt- 
offering.  The  vilest  of  the  vile,  all,  who 
would,  might  come,  and  avail  themselves  of 
its  benefits.  We  have  seen  that  it  was 
perfectly  effectual  to  accomplish  all  the  ob- 
jects, for  which  it  was  designed.  The 
point  before  us  noiv^  shows  us  that,  so  far  as 
regards  its  merit,  or  w^orthiness,  or  power 
to  bless,  the  sacrifice  of  the  brazen  altar  was 
an  unlimited  sacrifice.     All  Israel  did  not 


84  THE     BRAZEN    ALTAR. 

seek,  or  secure  an  interest  in  the  benefits 
of  the  sacrifice  offered  upon  this  altar ;  but 
the  altar  was  there  for  all,  and  the  benefits 
emanating  from  it  were  there  in  abundance 
sufficient  to  meet  the  necessities  of  all. 
This  23oint  I  hold  to  be  perfectly  clear.  No 
one  can  pretend  to  call  it  in  question.  And 
when  we  proceed  to  argue  from  the  type  to 
the  antitype,  from  the  shadow  to  the  sub- 
stance, in  reference  to  a  point  as  clear  and 
cardinal  as  this,  the  argument  is  one  of 
great  power.  There  is  no  such  thing  as 
fairly  resisting  it.  It  amounts  to  a  sort  of 
practical  demonstration.  The  ceremonial 
atonement  made  by  the  offerings  presented 
on  the  brazen  altar  of  the  Jewish  Taber- 
nacle was  not  a  limited  atonement.  Neither 
was  the  atonement,  by  the  sacrifice  of  Christ 
upon  the  cross,  a  limited  atonement.  The 
brazen  altar  of  the  tabernacle  forbids  our 
entertaining:  such  an  idea.     The  doctrine  of 


THE     BRAZEN    ALTAR.  85 

a  limited  atonement  is  plainly  contrary  tc 
the  teachings  of  "  the  pattern  shewed  tc 
Moses  in  the  mount." 

Of  course,  if  you  watch  the  progress  of 
the  gospel  in  our  world,  you  will  see  directly, 
that  all  men,  to  whom  the  gospel  is  preached, 
do  not  receive  it,  or  yield  their  hearts  to  its 
influence.  Unless  then  you  take  in  the 
idea  of  universal  salvation,  you  must  admit 
that  there  is  a  limit  in  reference  to  the 
atonement,  somewhere  or  other.  This  limit 
can  only  refer  to  one  of  two  things ;  there 
must  be  a  limit,  either  in  the  application  of 
the  atonement,  or  in  its  original  merits. 
But  then  there  is  the  widest  possible  dif- 
ference between  these  two  things.  I  be- 
lieve most  firmly  in  a  limited  atonement,  so 
far  as  the  application  of  its  benefits,  to  the 
individuals  of  our  race  is  concerned.  In 
other  words,  I  believe  that  a  portion  of  our 
race,  and  not  the  whole  of  it^^  will  be  saved 


86  THE     BRAZEN     ALTAR. 

by  tlie  atoning  sacrifice  of  Christ.  I  be- 
lieve, moreover,  tliat  this  limitation  is  con- 
trolled by  the  absolute  sovereignty  of  God. 
The  doctrine  of  election,  as  taught  in  Scrip- 
ture, and  embodied  in  the  seventeenth 
Article  of  our  Church,  is  the  proper  point 
of  view,  from  which  to  contemplate  this 
matter  of  the  limitation  of  the  atonement, 
in  its  practical  application  to  the  souls  of 
men. 

But,  so  far  as  the  worth  or  merit  of 
Christ's  atonement  is  concerned,  I  believe 
it  to  be  utterly  and  absolutely  an  unlimited 
atonement.  Unless  I  believed  this,  Avith 
my  whole  heart,  I  could  not  be  a  preacher 
of  the  gospel.  If  I  believed  that  Christ 
died  for  a  portion  of  our  race  only,  and  not 
for  the  whole,  how  could  I,  as  an  honest 
man,  stand  up  in  a  promiscuous  assembly 
like  this,  and  exhort  all  who  hear  me,  to 
draw  nigh  to  the  altar  of  Christ's  cross,  and 


THE     BRAZEN     ALTAR.  87 

seek  the  application  to  tlieir  souls  of  the 
saving  benefits  of  His  sacrifice  ?  If  1  be- 
lieved that  the  atonement  was  limited  in 
this  sense,  how  could  I  expound  Hebrews, 
ii.  9,  which  speaks  of  Christ  as  "  by  the 
grace  of  God  tasting  death  for  ever?/  man  ?" 
How  could  I  work  up  into  such  a  system  of 
theology  that  stubborn  passage  in  1  John, 
ii.  2,  in  which  the  apostle  affirms  that 
Christ  is  "  the  propitiation  for  our  sins,  and 
not  for  ours  only,  but  also  for  the  sins  of 
the  whole  tvorldf  If  these  passages  do  not 
teach  an  atonement  absolutely  t^?zlimited,  as 
to  its  merits,  how  is  it  possible  for  such  a 
truth  to  be  taught?  If  I  believed  the 
atonement  limited,  as  to  its  merits,  by  any- 
thing less  than  the  necessities  of  our  whole 
race,  I  could  not  officiate  as  a  minister  in 
the  Episcopal  Church;  for  here,  on  every 
communion  occasion,  I  am  required  to  stand 
by  the  sacramental  table,  and  in  the  most 


88  THE     BRAZEN    AITAR. 

solemn  part  of  that  most  solemn  service,  to 
affirm  of  the  atonement  of  our  blessed  Lord, 
that  it  was  ^^  a  sacrifice,  oblation,  and  satis- 
faction, full,  iicrfed,  and  sufficient  for  the 
sins  of  the  ivhole  ivorkU  If  I  believed  the 
atonement  of  Christ  limited,  in  its  merits, 
I  had  rather  go  to  the  stake,  and  give  this 
body  to  the  flames,  than  be  gnilty  of  the 
solemn  mockery  of  making  such  a  declara- 
tion. But  the  teachings  of  the  gospel,  and 
of  our  Church,  on  this  subject,  harmonize 
entirely  with  the  foreshadowiugs  of  the 
brazen  altar,  and  agree  with  "  the  pattern 
showed  to  Moses  on  the  Mount."  They 
lead  us  to  think  of  the  merits  of  Christ's 
sacrifice  as  adequate  to  the  necessities  of 
every  ruined  child  of  Adam's  guilty  race. 

And  thus,  from  the  jnominence  assigned 
the  brazen  altar ; — from  the  relation  it  bore 
to  ever?/  other  part  of  the  tabernacle  ; — from 
the  conttmiit?/  of  its  offerings  ; — from  the  effi* 


THE    BRAZEN    ALTAR.  89 

eacy  of  its  sacrifices;  and  from  tJie  extent  of 
its  lenefits^  we  gather  up  the  several  impor- 
tant, practical  lessons,  taught  us  by  this  pari 
of  the  tabernacle  furniture. 

In  conclusion,  I  would  waive  all  other 
reflections  suggested  by  this  subject,  to 
dwell  for  a  moment  on  this  one  thoudit ; 
viz.,  lioiv  ahsolutely  unspeaJcahle  are  our  ohtiga- 
gations  to  God  for  the  sacrifice  of  His  Son  ! 
This  is  the  one  fruitful  source  of  all  our 
blessings.  Stand  up  in  the  centre  of  the 
circle  which  surrounds  you,  as  God's  crea- 
ture, and  tell  me  what  single  thing  there  is, 
on  which  you  can  lay  your  finger  and  say, 
"  here  is  one  thing,  at  least,  which  I  could 
have  possessed  and  enjoyed,  if  Christ  had 
never  hung  upon  the  cross."  From  the 
least  to  the  greatest  there  is  no  such  thing. 
You  have  no  tcmiwral  blessing,  which  the 
sacrifice  of  Christ  did  nat  purchase  for  you. 
Your  life,  your  health,  your  strength,  the 


90  THE    BRAZEN    ALTAR. 

use  of  your  faculties,  your  home,  your  rela- 
tives, your  friends,  the  bread  you  eat^  the 
water  you  drink,  the  raiment  you  put  on, 
the  air  you  breathe,  the  sunshine  which 
gladdens  you,  everything  in  the  catalogue 
of  your  temporal  blessings,  you  owe  to  the 
sacrifice  once  offered  upon  the  cross.  And 
the  same  is  true  of  all  our  spiritual  mer- 
cies.  These  sabbaths,  these  sanctuaries, 
these  sacraments  and  sermons,  this  pre- 
cious volume  of  God's  written  word; — the 
privilege  of  prayer,  the  power  to  pray, — 
pardon,  peace,  light,  grace, — all  that  sus- 
tains for  the  present,  and  all  that  cheers 
and  encourages  for  the  future, — the  blessed 
hope  of  eternal  life,  a  title  clear  to  an  in- 
heritance of  unfading  bliss,  all,  all  is  due 
to  the  sacrifice  offered  on  the  altar  of  the 
cross.  Connection  with  this  sacrifice  brings 
us  into  the  charmed  circle  of  the  covenant 
of  salvation.     It  exalts  us  to  the  highest 


THE     BRAZEN     ALTAR.  91 

point  of  possible  distinction.  All  that  the 
humon  mind,  in  its  wildest  revellings,  has 
ever  imagined,  in  the  way  of  marvellous 
change.s  and  ^Yond^ons  exaltations,  bears  no 
comparison  with  the  change  wrought  in  the 
position  and  prospects  of  a  ruined  sinner, 
and  the  affluence  of  blessing  secured  to 
him^  by  a  saving  personal  connection  with 
the  sacrifice  of  Christ.  The  simple  truth 
here  is  stronger  than  any  fiction  ever 
coined  by  poet's  fancy.  The  romance  of 
history  in  real  life  is  sometimes  strange, 
but  the  romance  of  revelation  is  infinitely 
stranger.  We  have  this  romance,  in  its 
marvellous  result,  epitomized,  in  a  single 
verse,  by  the  Psalmist,  when  speaking  of 
God's  dealings  with  his  people  in  the  gos- 
pel of  his  Son,  he  says  that  "He  raiseth 
up  the  poor  out  of  the  dust,  and  lifteth  the 
needy  from  the  dunghill ;  That  He  may  set 
him  with  princes,  even  with  the  princes  of 


92  THE     BKAZEN     ALTAR. 

his  peojDle."  This  is  the  transformation 
wrought  by  a  saving  connection  with  the 
sacrifice  of  Himself,  which  Jesus  offered  on 
the  cross.  Well  might  the  apostle  resolve 
to  glory  only  in  that  cross !  Beloved 
hearer !  are  you  personally  interested  in 
that  cross  and  its  sacrifice  ?  If  so,  rejoice, 
and  be  exceeding  glad.  Make  full  proof  of 
the  benefits  of  that  sacrifice,  and  let  your 
life  show  how  unspeakably  it  blesses  you. 

If  you  have  no  such  interest  in  the  cross, 
resolve,  by  the  help  of  God,  without  delay 
to  seek  it  1 


CHAPTER    III. 


'gnb  ilje  ITorb  spnke  nnfo  glosts,  snmng,  ^I^ou  s^nU 
hIs0  maht  R  ITabcr  of  brass,  nub  Ijis  foot  also  of 
brass,  to  basl^  bitbnl ;  aiib  tljou  sljalt  put  it  htiimnx 
t^e  S^abeinatle  ol  tlje  Coitgregatioit  aub  iljc  giltar, 
nub  tljou  sljalt  put  Wd'dttx  ll)cmii." — Exodus,  xxx. 
17,  18. 


111. 

In  our  last  discourse,  tLe  brazen  altar 
was  tlie  theme  of  our  meditation.  That 
was  a  part  of  the  furniture  of  the  Taber- 
nacle, with  which  the  element  of  fire  w^as 
connected.  On  the  altar  the  flame  w^as 
burnino:  continually.  The  brazen  Layer  is 
to  engage  our  attention  on  the  present  occa- 
sion. This  was  a  part  of  the  furniture  of 
the  Tabernacle,  with  which  the  element  of 
water  was  connected.  "  Of  all  inorganic 
substances,"  says  a  distinguished  waiter, 
^^  water  is  the  most  wonderful.  We  can 
think  of  it  as  the  source  of  all  the  change- 
fulness  and  beauty,  that  appear  in  the 
clouds;    then  as  the  instrument  by  w^iich 


96  THE    LAYER. 

the  earth  was  modelled  into  symmetry,  and 
its  crags  chiselled  into  grace  j  then,  as  in 
the  form  of  snow,  it  robes  the  momitains  it 
has  made,  as  with  a  mantle  of  transcendent 
light,  which  we  could  not  have  conceived, 
if  we  had  not  seen;  then  as  it  exists  in 
the  foam  of  the  torrent, — in  the  iris  which 
spans  it,  in  the  morning  mist  which  rises 
from  it,  in  the  deep  crystalline  pools  which 
mirror  its  overhanging  shore,  in  the  broad 
lake  and  glancing  river ; — and  finally  in 
that,  which  is  to  all  human  minds  the  best 
emblem  of  unwearied,  unconquerable  power, 
the  wild,  various,  fantastic,  tameless  unity 
of  the  sea.  And  as  we  thus  think  of  it, 
we  are  constrained  to  ask,  what  shall  we 
compare  to  this  mighty,  this  universal  ele 
ment  for  glory  and  for  beauty?"  We  find 
an  answer  to  this  inquiry  in  the  subject 
which  now  comes  before  us. 

^'Thou  shalt   make    a    laver    of   brass," 


"^l^^vjsyss^. 


Jewish  Taberuacle. 


THE  LA^  ER. 


p.  96. 


THE    LAYER.  97 

said  the  Lord  to  Moses,  "and  thou  shalt 
put  water  therein."  Here  we  find  this 
element  of  beauty,  this  mighty,  resistless, 
all-pervading,  universal  agency  of  nature 
pressed  into  the  service  of  religion,  and 
made  to  minister  at  once  both  to  the  wor- 
ship and  honor  of  God,  and  to  the  spiritual 
welfare  and  happiness  of  man. 

The  laver,  like  the  altar  of  sacrifice,  was 
symbolical  in  its  character.  The  great  les- 
son taught  by  the  part  it  bore  in  the  wor- 
ship of  the  tabernacle  was  the  importance 
of  purity  on  the  part  of  all  who  drew  nigh 
to  God,  the  absolute  necessity  of  thorough 
sanctification  for  the  polluted,  through  the 
operation  of  the  Spirit  and  truth  of  God, 
How  this  great,  practical  lesson  was  taught 
"hj  the  laver  and  its  watery  contents,  we 
shall  see  as  we  proceed  with  the  subject. 

It  is  worthy  of  notice  that  the  laver  was 
the  only  article  of  furniture  connected  with 


98  THE    LAYER. 

the  JeAvisli  Tabernacle,  of  wliich  we  have 
no  account  furnished,  either  as  to  its  form, 
")r  its  dimensions.  This  is  certainly  very 
singular,  when  we  bear  in  mind  the  extreme 
care  and  precision,  with  which  these  specifi- 
cations are  given,  in  reference  to  every 
other  part  of  the  sacred  structure.  No 
reason  is  assigned  for  this  omission,  and 
it  is  vain  to  speculate  on  the  subject. 

The  form  of  the  laver  is  generally  sup- 
posed to  have  been  circular.  This  is  the 
most  natural  form,  in  which  to  make  an 
article  of  this  kind.  And  we  know  that 
that,  which  Solomon  subsequently  made  for 
the  use  of  the  temple,  was  circular,  and 
doubtless  he  would  be  guided  in  this  matter 
by  a  desire  to  imitate,  as  far  as  possible, 
w^hat  Moses  had  made  ^Saccording  to  the 
pattern  showed  him  in  the  mount." 

In  addition  to  the  laver  itself,  the  text 
informs  us  that  Moses  was  commanded  ta 


THE    LAVEK.  99 

make   "liis    foot   also    of    brass    to   wash 
withal"     The  word  here   rendered  "foot" 
has  occasioned  much  perplexity  to  commen- 
tators.   "  Our  impression  is/'  says  Dr.  Kitto, 
"  that  the  laver,  whatever  were  its  shape, 
stood  upon  another  basin,  more  wide  and 
shallow,  as  a  cup  on  a  saucer ;  and  that  the 
latter  received  from  spouts,   or  faucets  in 
the  upper  basin,  the  water  which  was  al- 
lowed to  escape,  when  the  priests  washed 
themselves  with  the  water,  which  fell  from 
the  upper  basin.     If  by  the  under  basin  we 
understand  the  '  foot,'  spoken  of  in  the  text, 
the  sense  is  clear.     The  text  does  not  say 
that  the  priests  were  to  wash  themselves  in 
the  basin,  but  at  it.     In  it  they  could  not 
well  wash  their  hands  and  feet,  if  the  laver 
was  of  any  height."     The  Jewish  Eabbins 
say    the    laver    had    several    faucets,    or 
''nipples,"  as  they  call  them,  from  which 
the   water  was  let  out  as   wanted.     How 


100  THE     LAYER. 

the  priests  washed  their  hands  and  feet  at 
the  laver  seems  uncertain.  That  they  did 
not  wash  in,  either  the  layer,  or  its  base, 
seems  clear,  because  then  the  water,  in 
which  they  washed,  would  have  been  ren- 
dered impure  by  tliose  who  washed  before, 
or  with  them.  The  Orientals,  we  know, 
dislike  exceedingly,  to  wash  in  a  basin  after 
our  manner,  in  which  the  water,  with  which 
we  commence  washing  is  clearer  than  that 
with  which  we  finish.  They  always  prefer 
to  wash  at  a  falling  stream,  where  each  suc- 
cessive affusion  is  of  clean  water.  We  in- 
cline therefore  to  think,  that  the  priests 
either  washed  themselves  with  the  stream, 
as  it  fell  from  the  spouts  into  the  base,  or 
else  received  in  proper  vessels  so  much  water 
as  was  needed  for  the  occasion.  The  Ori' 
entals,  in  their  washings,  make  use  of  a 
vessel  with  a  long  spout,  and  wash  at  the 
stream  which  issues  thence,  the  waste  water 


THE    LAYER.  101 

being  received  in  a  basin  which  is  placed 
underneath.  This  seems,  to  us,  to  illustrate 
the  idea  of  the  laver  with  its  base,  or  foot,  as 
well  as  the  way  in  which  the  priests  per- 
formed their  ablutions.  The  laver  had  thus 
its  upper  basin,  from  which  the  water  fell^ 
and  "  the  under  basin  for  receiving  the  waste 
water." 

The  material  of  which  the  laver  was  com- 
posed was  brass.  In  Exodus  xxxviii.  8,  we 
read,  "  And  he  made  the  laver  of  brass,  and 
the  foot  of  it  of  brass,  of  the  looking-glasses 
of  the  women  assembling,  which  assembled 
at  the  door  of  the  tabernacle  of  the  congre- 
gation." The  word  in  the  original,  should 
have  been  rendered  here  mirrors,  instead  of 
\ookmg-gIasses.  Glass  mirrors  were  not 
known  till  the  thirteenth  century  after 
Christ,  while  the  tabernacle  was  built  in  the 
fifteenth  century  hefore  Christ.  The  mirrors 
then  in  use  were  molten  mirrors,  made  out 


102  THE    LAYER. 

of  brass  or  copper,  and  highly  polished.  And 
those  here  spoken  of  were  of  this  character 
"We  may  understand,"  says  the  author  of 
the  Notes  of  the  Pictorial  Bible,  "  either  that 
the  stock  of  copper  in  the  camp  of  Israel  was 
so  comparatively  small,  as  to  have  been  ex- 
hausted in  the  other  works  for  the  tabe^' 
nacle ;  or  else,  that  the  material  employed 
for  the  mirrors  used  by  the  women  was  of  a 
superior  quality,  and  for  this  reason  it  may 
have  been  made  use  of  in  the  preparation  of 
the  laver.  There  is  still  another  reason  that 
has  been  assigned  in  explanation  of  this  cir- 
cumstance. As  the  women  who  assembled 
at  the  tabernacle  are  especially  mentioned, 
it  is  not  improbable  that  they  followed  the 
example  of  the  Egyptian  women,  who  took 
their  mirrors  with  them  when  they  went  to 
the  temple.  Moses  may  have  required  the 
giving  up  of  their  mirrors  to  be  employed  in 
the  preparation  of  the  laver,  in  order  to  put 


THE    LAYER.  103 

ft  stop  to  a  practice  of  wliicli  lie  did  not  ap- 
prove." 

I  would  venture  to  suggest  another  reason 
wlij  the  material  of  the  mirrors  was  em- 
ployed in  the  making  of  the  laver.  May  it 
not  have  been  with  a  view  of  illustrating  its 
design  ?  It  was  intended  for  the  cleansing 
and  purifying  of  the  officiating  priests.  The 
material  of  which  it  was  composed  would 
admit  of  a  fine  polish.  The  whole  exterior 
of  it  would  thus  constitute  as  it  were  one 
mirror.  As  the  priests  approached  it,  they 
would  thus  be  aided  in  discovering  the  spots, 
and  marks  upon  their  persons,  which  were  to 
be  removed  before  they  entered  the  sanc- 
tuary. 

This  laver  was  symbolical  of  the  truth  of 
God.  This  is  compared  to  a  mirror,  which 
at  once  shows  us  our  deformity,  and  aids  us 
in  the  removal  of  it.  Hence,  says  the  apos- 
tle, speaking  of  the  word  of  God,  "  We  ail. 


104  THE    LAYER. 

with  open  face,  beholding  as  in  a  glass,  the 
glory  of  the  Lord,  are  changed  into  the 
same  image,  from  glory  to  glory,  even  as 
by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord." 

Let  this  suffice  concerning  the  form  and 
structure  of  the  laver.  We  proceed  now  to 
consider  the  lessons  which  it  teaches  us, 
when  considered  in  its  typical  character. 

There  are  three  principal  points  with 
which  the  lessons  taught  us  by  the  laver 
may  be  connected.  In  the  first  ijlace^  let  lis 
consider  what  ive  are  taught  hy  the  laver  with 
its  sui^ply  of  cleansing  water. 

The  purpose  intended  to  be  subserved  by 
the  laver  was  very  dilTerent  from  that  se- 
cured by  the  altar  of  burnt  sacrifice.  That 
had  to  do  with  the  putting  away  of  sin  itself, 
while  this  had  to  do  with  the  removal  of  the 
pollution  resulting  from  sin.  The  former  o^ 
these  operations  denotes,  in  New  Testament 
language,  the  great  work  of  justifying  the 


THE    LAYER.  105 

soul  of  the  believer ;  the  latter  denotes  the 
equally  great  work  of  sanctifying  the  soul. 
The  brazen  altar  stands  before  us  as  the 
symbol,  or  representative,  of  justification  : 
the  laver  stands  before  us  as  the  symbol,  or 
representative,  of  sanctification.  And  very 
suggestive  these  two  symbols  are  of  the  dif- 
ferent agencies  by  which  the  two  great  works 
referred  to  are  effected.  The  altar  with  its 
innocent  Adctim,  consumed  in  the  ascending 
flame,  points  to  Jesus,  the  Lamb  of  God, 
dying  for  our  sins,  and  rising  again  for  our 
iustification.  The  laver,  with  its  abundant 
supply  of  pure  cleansing  water,  points  to  the 
Spirit  of  God,  and  the  truth  through  which 
that  Spirit  acts,  as  the  great  appointed  in- 
struments for  carrying  on  the  work  of  sanc- 
tification in  the  souls  of  believers.  The 
water  in  the  laver  was  an  emblem  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  in  His  purifying  work.  And 
water  is  a  scriptural  emblem  of  the  Spirit* 


106  THE    LAYER. 

Our  blessed  Lord  Himself  tangiit  us  this. 
We  read,  y)u  remember,  hi  Joha  vii.  38, 
tliat  "  111  tlie  last  day,  that  great  day  of  the 
feast,  Jesus  stood  and  cried,  If  any  man 
thirst,  let  him  come  to  me  and  drink.  He 
that  believeth  on  me,  as  the  scripture  hath 
said,  out  of  his  belly  shall  flow  rivers  of 
living  water.  But  this,"  adds  the  evangel- 
ist, "  spake  He  of  the  Spirit  wliich  they  that 
believe  on  Him  should  receive."  We  have 
therefore  the  very  clearest  authority  for  con- 
sidering water  as  an  emblem  of  the  Spirit. 
And  how  beautiful  an  emblem  of  the  Spirit 
of  God  it  is  !  Water  is  pure.  Though  not 
really  so,  it  seems  to  be  the  simplest  of  all 
substances.  It  reflects  the  sunbeam  from  its 
glassy  surface,  or  transmits  it  through  its 
substance  in  almost  equal  brightness,  giving 
us  the  idea  of  transparent  purity. 

And  just  such  is  the  Spirit.     He,  too  is 
pure;   or  rather  purity  itself.      He  is   the 


THE    LAVER.  107 

great  original  fountain  of  all  purity.  Per- 
fectly transparent  the  blessed  Spirit  is.  He 
reflects  and  transmits,  in  all  its  brightness, 
the  glory  of  Christ.  This  is  His  peculiar 
office.  He  reveals  Jesus.  "  He  shall  take 
of  mine,"  said  Jesus,  "and  show  it  unto 
you."  He  testifies,  not  of  Himself,  but  of 
Christ.  The  figure  fails  in  this,  that  the 
water  has  no  light  in  itself.  It  transmits 
it  indeed,  but  does  not  originate  it.  With 
the  Spirit  it  is  different.  He  imparts,  as 
well  as  transmits  it.  Spiritual  light  origin- 
ates with  Him.  He  is  the  Lord  and  Giver 
of  it. 

Again,  ivater  is  free.  It  readily  adapts  it- 
self to  every  possible  variety  of  shape  or 
form,  as  the  jagged  rocky  border  of  the  river 
or  lake  will  show,  but  it  cannot  be  restrained 
or  bound  by  any.  At  one  time,  under  win- 
ter's chilling  touch,  it  is  solid.  Again,  as  in 
the  laver  before  us,  it  assumes  a  liquid  form ; 


108  THE    LAVER. 

and  then  again,  beneath  the  heat  of  the 
summer's  sun,  it  flies  off  in  vapor,  and  be- 
comes invisible.  It  is  capable  of  gliding 
into  a  thousand  forms  of  beautiful  variety. 
And  how  apt  an  emblem  of  the  Spirit  we 
have  here !  Who  can  restrain  or  bind  Him 
in  His  operations  ?  "  Where  the  Spirit  of 
the  Lord  is,  there  is  liberty."  Like  the 
wind,  "  He  bloweth  where  He  listeth,  and 
thou  hearest  the  sound  thereof,  but  canst 
not  tell  whence  He  cometh  or  whither  He 
goeth."  As  to  Elijah  on  Horeb's  awful  top, 
He  may  reveal  Himself  now  in  the  light- 
ning's flash — again  in  the  whirlwind's  roar 
— then  in  the  earthquake's  crash — and  yet 
again  in  the  still  small  voice. 

Water  is  jjervading.  The  oceans,  seas, 
lakes,  rivers,  and  streams  of  earth  are  made 
up  of  it.  But  it  is  not  confined  to  these 
localities.  It  pervades  all  nature.  It  is  in 
the  air  we  breathe,  and  the  food  we  eat.    It 


THE     LAVEPv.  109 

is  in  the  scJid  rock,  and  in  the  yielding  clay. 
It  is  in  the  tree,  the  shrub,  the  flower,  the 
grass.  It  is  in  the  blood  that  courses  through 
the  veins  of  your  body,  and  in  the  bones  and 
marrow  by  whinh  those  bodies  are  upheld 
and  nourished.  It  is  a  universal  element. 
And  so  is  the  Spirit.  Well  might  the 
Psalmist  ask,  "Whither  shall  I  flee  from 
thy  Spirit?"  Heaven,  earth,  hell,  the 
mighty  universe  is  filled  by  this  Spirit! 
"The  Spirit  searcheth  all  things."  Pene- 
trating all  hearts,  and  reading  all  thoughts 
and  purposes ;  there  is  nothing  hid  from  His 
presence. 

Water  is  mighty  in  its  oiieration.  It  is  an 
element  of  prodigious  power.  Enclose  it  in 
a  ball  of  iron,  no  matter  how  thick ;  let  it 
freeze,  and  it  will  burst  that  iron.  Shut  it 
up  in  the  centre  of  a  mountain  of  solid 
granite,  and  in  passing  from  the  liquid  to  the 
solid  state,  it  w'il  upheave  that  ponderous 

10 


110  THE    LAVER. 

mass  and  make  an  outlet  for  itself.  And 
surely  in  its  poioer  this  element  fitly  em- 
blemizes  the  Spirit,  who  in  His  ojDeration 
softens  the  hardest  heart — subdues  the  most 
stubborn  will,  and  upturns  the  very  founda- 
tion of  the  kingdom  of  darkness. 

And  then  water  is  a  vitalizing  element.  All 
animal  and  vegetable  life  is  dependent  on  its 
influence.  Take  it  away  from  nature,  and 
the  gloomy  pall  of  desolation  and  death 
would  come  down  upon  every  thing.  And 
so,  in  the  spiritual  world,  it  is  with  the  Holy 
Ghost.  Life  never  begins  or  continues 
without  His  influence.  "  He  is  the  great 
moving  power  in  the  world  of  spirits,  who 
alone  is  able  to  beat  down  the  proud  suffi- 
ciency of  man's  mind,  or  to  raise  it  from 
the  depths  of  wickedness  and  despair.  He 
only  can  break  in  pieces  the  hard  heart,  or 
regulate  the  stormy  will,  or  rouse  the  sleep- 
ing conscience,  or  c  irb  the  passion-tossed 


THE    LAVEE.  Ill 

soul.  He  is  the  one  life-giyer,  witlioui 
whose  quickening  touch  every  soul  of  man 
must  remain  for  ever  in  the  gloomy  charnel- 
house  of  spiritual  death,  a  withered  and 
desolate  thing."  Thus  the  laver  with  its 
water  is  an  emblem  of  the  Spirit. 

It  IS  also  an  emhlem  of  the  truth  lij  tvhich 
the  Sprit  operates.  In  quickening  men  into 
spiritual  life,  God's  truth  is  the  grand  in- 
strumentality employed  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Hence,  says  St.  James,  "  Of  His  own  will 
begat  He  us  by  the  word  of  truths  Jesus 
compared  this  truth  to  water  when  He  said 
to  Nicodemus — "  Except  a  man  be  born  of 
water  and  of  the  Spirit,  he  can  not  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  God." 

And  in  the  great  work  of  cleansing,  or 
purifying  the  souls  of  his  peoj)le,  the  truth 
revealed  in  Scripture  is,  again,  the  instru- 
mentality employed.  Hence,  when  St.  Paul 
speaks  of  Christ  as  cleansing  or  sanctifying 


112  THE    LAYER. 

Ilis  clmrchj  lie  tells  us  it  is  clone  ^^  with  the 
washing  of  water  ly  the  ivordr — Ephesians 
V.  25.  This  means  that  just  as  the  hands 
and  feet  of  the  priests,  officiating  in  the 
tabernacle,  were  cleansed  by  the  '*  washing 
of  water"  in  the  laver ;  so  the  souls  of  Christ's 
people  are  cleansed  or  purified  by  the  word, 
as  by  the  washing  of  water.  And  when  we 
hear  God  saying  by  the  prophet  Ezekiel 
(xxxvi.  25),  ^^I  will  sprinkle  clean  water 
upon  you,  and  ye  shall  be  clean  :  from  all 
your  filthiness,  and  from  all  your  idols,  will 
r  cleanse  you" — and  compare  this  with  the 
words  of  Jesus,  in  which  He  prayed  for  His 
people,  saying,  "  Sanctify  them  by  thy 
truth" — we  see  clearly  that  it  is  not  the 
water  of  baptism  which  is  referred  to  in 
these  passages,  but  the  revealed  truth  of 
God,  which,  in  its  quickening  and  purifying 
properties,  is  compared  to  water. 

And  thus  the   laver,  with  its  abundant 


THE    LAYER.  113 

supply  of  clean  water,  by  which  the  priests 
were  purified  and  rendered  fit  to  enter  the 
tabernacle,  was  an  emblem  of  God's  Spiri 
and  God's  truth,  by  whose  quickening  in 
fluence  dead  souls  were  made  alive  ;  and  by 
whose  cleansing  power  they  were  sanctified 
and  made  fit  for  the  service  of  God. 

This  is  the  lesson  we  are  taught  by  the 
laver  with  its  supply  of  cleansing  water. 

But^  secondly,  let  us  inquire  zuhat  lessons 
we  are  taught  hy  the  persons  zvho  used  the 
laver. 

It  was  only  the  piiests  who  had  access  to 
the  laver.  It  was  not  intended  for  all  the 
people.  The  sacrifice  on  the  brazen  altar 
was  for  the  whole  assembly  of  the  congre- 
gation— but  not  so  the  water  in  the  laver. 
This  was  restricted  to  the  use  of  those  who 
were  about  to  enter  the  sanctuary  of  the 
Most  High,  and  engage  in  its  hallowed  ex- 
ercises.    There  are  thr^e  important  practical 


114  THE    LAYER. 

lessons  taught  us  by  this  part  of  our  sub* 
ject.  We  see  here  the  true  character  of  God' s 
Ideople;  the  high  privilege  accorded  th&m ; 
and  the  nature  of  the  service  required  of  them, 
We  are  taught  here  tlie  true  character  of 
God's  people.  Those  who  washed  in  the 
water  of  the  layer  were  priests.  But  this 
laver  with  its  cleansing  water  sjmhoKzed 
the  Spirit  and  the  truth  of  God  in  all  their 
sanctifying  influences  as  connected  with  the 
Christian  Church.  But  in  this  Church  God's 
Spirit  is  given,  and  God's  truth  revealed  to 
every  true  member  of  the  same.  They  all 
have  access  to  this  spiritual  laver  for  the 
cleansing  of  their  souls.  But  does  the  ana- 
logy fail,  you  are  ready  to  ask,  between  the 
Jewish  and  the  Christian  laver  as  regTirds 
the  character  of  ihose  who  have  access  to 
it  ?  Not  at  all.  How  so,  you  ask  again, 
when  onJg  priests  were  allowed  to  wash  in 
the    Jewish    laver?      The    analogy   holds 


THE    LAYER.  115 

strictly  true,  in  this  respect,  for  in  the 
Christian  Church  all  the  LorcV^  ^^eojile  are 
priests.  The  ajDOstle  Peter  has  made  this 
point  perfectly  clear.  In  his  general  epistle, 
addressed  to  all  Christians,  he  says :  '^  Ye 
also,  as  lively  stones,  are  built  up,  a  spirit- 
ual house,  an  holy  priesthood,  to  offer  up 
spiritual  sacrifices,  acceptable  to  God  through 
Jesus  Christ."  1  Peter  ii.  5.  Again  he 
says,  "Ye  are  a  chosen  generation,  a  royal 
priesthood."  If  you  find  any  difficulty  in 
adapting  this  language  to  the  condition  of 
God's  people  in  the  present  life,  bear  in  mind 
that  it  is  now  rather  the  language  of  pro- 
phecy or  promise,  than  of  actual  present 
realization.  Friestly  functions,  as  well  as 
kingly,  are  those  which  the  redeemed  are  to 
exercise  in  the  glorious  future  that  awaits 
them.  In  the  ascription  of  praise  which  St. 
John  renders  to  Christ  at  the  opening  of  the 
Apocalypse,  he  says,  "  Unto  Him  that  loved 


116  THE    LAYER. 

US,  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  o^  a 
blood,  and  hath  made  us  kings  and  priests 
unto  God  and  his  Father,  to  Him  be  glory 
and  dominion  for  ever  and  @ver."  Roy.  i. 
5,  6.  Soon  after  this  the  glorious  vision  of 
the  heavenly  world  is  unfolded  to  the  be- 
loved disciple.  The  panorama  of  its  magni- 
ficence is  spread  out  before  him.  He  sees 
the  white-robed  company,  with  palms  of  vic- 
tory in  their  hands,  and  crowns  of  glory  on 
their  heads,  as  they  stand  before  the  ever- 
lasting throne.  He  listens  to  the  new  song 
which  they  sing,  the  anthem  of  consummated 
redemption ;  and  this  is  the  chorus  in  which 
aU  voices  join,  as  they  fall  down  and  wor- 
ship the  Lamb  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne  ; 
— "  Thou  art  worthy  : — for  Thou  wast  slain, 
and  hast  redeemed  us  by  Thy  blood,  out  of 
every  kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people,  and 
nation ;  and  hast  made  us  unto  our  God 
kings  and  priests  r      Yes,  priests,  in  the 


THE     LAYER.  117 

perfection  of  their  sacred  functions;  this  is 
the  high  character  which  the  redeemed  will 
bear  in  eternity. 

And  priests,  in  preparation  for  that  ele- 
vated position,  is  the  true  character  of  the 
redeemed  in  time.  The  Christian  Church, 
now  on  earth,  is  one  vast  theological  semi- 
nary. Every  member  of  that  church  is  a 
student  of  divinity,  a  candidate  for  the  min- 
istry, a  priest  in  training  for  the  high  office 
awaiting  him  in  the  glory  of  the  heavenly 
state.  This  view  of  the  character  of  God's 
people  is  taught  us  when  we  see  the  priests, 
of  the  Jewish  dispensation,  washing  in  the 
water  of  the  laver. 

We  also  learn  here  the  high  privilege  ac^ 
corded  to  them.  One  part  of  this  privilege 
was  to  be  pure.  They  washed  continually 
and  were  cleansed.  No  ceremonial  imper- 
fection, or  pollution  clung  to  them.  The 
water  in  the  laver  removed  all  such  imper- 


118  THE    LAYER. 

fection  from  them.  Now  this  was  a  real 
privilege,  even  in  the  low  typical  sense  in 
which  they  realized  it.  But  what  a  shadow 
that  privilege  was  compared  with  what 
God's  people  now  enjoy  in  the  "  laver  of  re- 
generation ; — the  washing  of  water  by  the 
word"  and  Spirit,  to  which  they  have  access 
continually  !  There  the  heart's  deep  stains, 
the  spots  upon  the  soul,  are  taken  away. 
"  Like  a  refiner's  fire,  and  like  fuller's  soap," 
is  the  description  God,  Himself,  has  given  of 
this  marvellous  provision  of  His  grace  for  the 
cleansing  of  His  chosen  ones.  And  as  they 
come  to  this  spiritual  laver  day  by  day,  the 
promise  is  fulfilled,  and  "He  purifies  the 
sons  of  Jacob  as  gold  and  silver  is  purified, 
that  they  may  offer  unto  the  Lord  an  offer- 
ing in  righteousness."  And  sanctified  thus, 
by  His  word  and  Spirit,  His  people  are 
"  preserved  blameless  unto  the  day  of  His 
appearing."     And  as  this  washing  is  con 


THE    LAVER.  119 

tinued;  the  result  will  be  that,  finally,  all  the 
redeemed,  "  sanctified  wholly  in  body,  soul, 
and  spirit,"  and  made  complete  in  holiness, 
will  be  presented  before  the  throne  of  the 
Father  "without  spot  or  wrinkle  or  any 
such  thing." 

"  Their  souls  from  sin  for  ever  free 
Will  mourn  its  power  no  more ; 
But  clothed  in  spotless  purity, 
Redeeming  love  adore." 

This  is  the  high  privilege  accorded  to  be- 
lievers in  Jesus.  And  this  privilege  is 
beautifully  fore-shadowed  as  we  see  the 
priests  of  Aaron's  line  made  pure  by  the 
water  of  the  laver. 

The  other  part  of  the  privilege,  of  these 
purified  priests,  luas  that  they  had  access  to 
the  Tahernacle,  the  sanctuary  where  God 
dwelt. 

The  golden  candlestick,  always  shining 
there,  shed  its  hallowed  light  for  them.    The 


120  THE    LAYER. 

table  with  its  show-bread  ^ITered  its  unfail- 
ing provision  to  them.  And  the  golden 
altar  with  its  fuming  incense  diffused  its 
acceptable  fragrance  in  their  behalf.  And, 
0,  what  significant  types  and  figures,  we 
have  here,  of  the  nobler  privileges  of  that 
priestly  people  whom  God  hath  pardoned 
through  the  sacrifice  of  His  Son,  and  sancti- 
fied by  the  influence  of  His  truth  and  Spirit ! 
To  them  the  way  of  access  into  the  Holy 
Place — -the  place  of  God's  immediate  pres- 
ence—lies open  at  all  times.  To  them  divine 
illumination  is  vouchsafed.  "  The  manifes- 
tation of  the  Spirit  is  given  to  each  of  them 
to  profit  withal."  "  They  have  an  unction 
from  the  Holy  One,  and  know  all  things." 
They  eat  of  the  bread  which  cometh  down 
from  heaven,  and  never  hunger.  "  They 
are  abundantly  satisfied  with  the  plenteous- 
ness  of  God's  house."  Their  prayers  and 
praises,  their  persons  and  services,  are  al- 


THE    LAYER.  121 

ways  accepted  of  God,  because  they  are  pre- 
sented continually  before  Him  perfumed  with 
the  fragrant  incense  of  the  merits  of  Christ's 
most  perfect  sacrifice.  And  thus,  as  we  be- 
hold the  purified  priests  enter  the  sanctuary, 
we  see  beautifully  typified  the  high  privilege 
accorded  to  the  people  of  God. 

But  tue  also  see  here  illustrated  the  nature 
of  the  service  required  of  them. 

The  washing  in  the  laver  was  a  thing  re- 
quiring to  be  continually  repeated.  It  was 
not  an  annual,  or  a  monthly,  a  weekly,  or  a 
daily  service,  but  one  of  unceasing  recur- 
rence. If  the  priest  had  occasion  to  enter 
the  sanctuary  twenty  times  a  day,  then 
twenty  times  a  day  he  must  wash  in  the 
laver.  He  could  never  enter  without  wash- 
ing. "What  a  practical,  illuminated  com- 
mentary we  here  have  as  to  the  meaning  of 
the  passage  in  which  God  said  to  the  priests 
of  that  dispensation,  "  Be  ye  clean  who  bear 


122  THE    LAYER. 

the  vessels  of  the  Lord !"  It  was  this  which 
led  the  Psalmist  to  exclaim,  "  I  will  wash 
my  hands  in  innocency,  0  Lord  :  so  will  I 
go  to  thine  altar."  And  the  great  truth 
which  is  thus  taught  us,  respecting  th 
service  required  of  those  whom  these  priests 
represent,  ^.  e.,  the  people  of  God  under  the 
present  dispensation,  is,  that  it  should  be 
characterized  by  thorough  sanctification,  by 
the  most  absolute  and  entire  consecration  of 
heart  and  soul.  Hence,  they  are  spoken  of 
in  one  place  as  "  a  holy  nation — a  peculiar 
people — zealous  of  good  works."  Again, 
they  are  called  "living  sacrifices."  They 
are  "  not  their  own — but  bought  with  a 
price,"  and  "constrained  by  the  love  of 
Christ  to  glorify  God  with  their  bodies  and 
tlieir  spirits,  which  are  His."  Paul  had  risen, 
fully,  up  to  the  lofty  standard  of  requirement 
here  erected  when  he  could  say — "for  me 
to  live  is  Christ."     And  all  that  was  typified 


THE    LAVER.  123 

in  tins  respect  by  those  unceasing  washings 
at  the  laver,  has  been  most  sweetly  ex- 
pressed by  one  who  has  thus  written : — 

"Precious  Saviour,  may  I  live —  Only  for  Thee. 

Spend  the  powers  Thou  dost  give —  Only  for  Thee. 

Be  my  Spirit's  deep  desire —  Only  for  Thee. 

May  my  intellect  aspire —  Only  for  Thee. 

In  my  joys  may  I  rejoice—  Only  for  Thee. 

In  my  choosings  make  my  choice —  Only  for  Thee. 

Meekly  may  I  suffer  grief—  Only  for  Thee 

Gratefully  accept  relief—  Only  for  Thee. 

Be  my  smile,  and  be  my  tears —  Only  for  Thee. 

Be  my  young  and  riper  years —  Only  for  Thee, 

Be  ray  singing  and  my  sighing —  Only  for  Thee. 

Be  my  sickness  and  my  dying —  Only  for  Thee. 

Be  my  rising  and  my  glory —  Only  for  Thee. 

Be  my  whole  eternity —  Only  for  Thee." 

And  thus,  the  true  character  of  God's 
rpeople — the  high  'privilege  accorded  them — and 
the  nature  of  the  service  required  of  them,  are 
the  lessons  we  are  taught  by  considering 
the  j^ersons  zvho  used  the  laver. 

But  there  is  a  third  and  last  point  of  view 
from  ivhich   to   contemplate  this  laver,  and 


124  THE    LAYER. 

gather  indrudion  from  it,  and  that  is  the 

POSITION  IT  OCCUPIED. 

This  is  very  significant.  The  direction 
given  to  Moses,  on  this  point,  was  most 
explicit:  "Thou  shalt  put  it  between  the 
tent  of  the  congregation  and  the  altar.'* 
"  The  tent  of  the  congregation"  means  the 
tabernacle.  Thus  the  laver  stood,  by  di- 
vine direction,  midway  between  the  brazen 
altar  and  the  tabernacle.  Now  the  instruc- 
tion we  gather  from  this  part  of  our  subject 
will  depend  on  the  view  we  take  of  what 
was  symboKsed,  or  represented  by  the 
laver. 

Some  maintain  that  the  laver,  in  the 
Jewish  Church,  was  a  type  or  symbol  of 
baptism,  in  the  Christian  Church.  This 
opinion  is  held  by  those  who  incline  to  take 
what  are  known  as  High-Church  views  of 
the  sacraments.  But  those  who  take  this 
view  will  find  the  laver,  thus  considered,  a 


THE    LAYER.  125 

very  unmanageable  piece  of  the  tabernacle 
furniture.  It  cannot  be  made  to  harmonize 
with  what  is  known  as  the  High-Church 
system.  In  this  system,  when  fairly  repre- 
sented, the  baptismal  font  is  made  to  stand 
at  the  porch,  or  vestibule  of  the  Church. 
It  is  regarded  as  the  initiatory  rite  of  the 
Church,  or  the  door  of  entrance  to  it.  It 
is  the  first  thing  with  which  one,  desiring  to 
enter  the  Church,  has  to  do.  But  this,  you 
perceive,  is  to  invert  the  order  established 
by  God  in  the  Jewish  Church.  The  Jew 
was  required  to  come  first  to  the  brazen 
altar,  with  its  propitiatory  sacrifice,  and 
then  to  the  laver,  with  its  cleansing  water. 
But  the  Christian,  who  takes  the  view  of 
which  we  are  speaking,  changes  entirely 
this  heaven-appointed  order.  He  insists  on 
coming  to  the  laver  for  its  cleansing  first, 
and  then  to  the  altar  for  the  benefit  of  its 
sacrifice.     That  this  is  not  the  view  taken 


126  THE    LAYER.- 

by  the  Episcopal  Church  is  clear  from  the 
tenor  of  her  baptismal  services.  In  these, 
before  she  allows  an  adult  person  to  be  bap- 
tized, she  requires,  from  him,  a  profession 
of  repentance  for  sin,  and  faith  in  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  This  is,  in  effect,  to  take  him 
to  the  brazen  altar  first,  and  then  to  admit 
him  to  the  laver  with  its  washings. 

And  even  the  service  for  the  baptism  of 
infants  is  based  upon  the  same  principle. 
The  parents  or  sponsors,  coming  with  the 
child,  are  required  to  promise  repentance 
and  faith  in  the  name  of  the  child.  Thus 
the  child  is  considered  as  repenting  and 
believing,  hypothetically ;  and  the  blessings 
consequent  upon  the  exercise  of  those  graces, 
are  promised  hypothetically.  That  service, 
throughout,  is  framed  on  this  hypothesis. 
So  that  if  the  laver  be  regarded  as  repre- 
senting baptism,  our  Church  in  this  part  of 
her  hallowed  services  does  no  violence  to 


THE    LAYER.  127 

^Hlie  pattern  showed  to  Moses  on  the 
mount."  She  does  not  set  the  laver  on  the 
other  side  of  the  altar^  from  that  on  which 
God  set  it.  But,  in  the  case  of  adult  per- 
sons actually,  and  in  the  case  of  infants 
hypothetically,  she  requires  first,  an  ap- 
proach to  the  altar  with  its  atoning  sacrifice, 
and  then  she  admits  of  access  to  the  layer 
with  its  purifying  water. 

But  we  do  not  regard  the  layer  as  de- 
noting baptism.  It  was,  as  we  haye  seen, 
the  type,  or  representation  of  the  regenerat- 
ing and  sanctifying  influences  of  the  Spirit 
and  truth  of  God,  as  experienced  by  His 
belieying  people.  And,  looked  at,  from  tliis 
point  of  view  the  practical  teaching  of  our 
subject  Is  most  interesting  and  important. 
It  establishes  for  us,  beyond  all  question, 
the  great  truth  that  regeneration  does  not 
precede,  but  follows  pardon.  The  divine 
order,  or  arrangement  in  this  matter  is  not 


128  THE    LAYER. 

regeneration  first,  and  then  pardon ;  but 
pardon  first,  and  then  regeneration.  Not 
the  washing  first,  and  then  forgiveness,  but 
forgiveness  first,  and  then  the  washing. 
Not  the  laver  first,  and  then  the  altar,  but 
the  altar  first,  and  then  the  laver.  The 
brazen  altar  stands  free  to  all.  Nothing  is 
necessary  for  one  who  would  approach  it 
but  a  sense  of  sin.  We  are  not  required  to 
make  ourselves  clean  in  order  that  w®  may 
come  to  Christ — but  we  are  to  come  to  Ilim 
in  order  to  be  made  clean.  The  tendency 
of  our  nature  is  to  invert  this  order.  In 
dealing  with  inquiring  souls  there  is  no  difii- 
culty  you  will  encounter  more  frequently 
than  that  which  developes  itself  in  the 
saying :  "  I  am  not  fit  to  come  to  Christ." 
This  language  is  suggested  by  a  desire  to  do 
something  ourselves  in  order  to  remove  our 
sin  and  pollution  before  coming  to  Christ. 
It  is  the  struA'dino:  endeavor  to  get  at  the 


THE    LAYER.  129 

lavei  first,  and  then  to  approach  the  altar. 
"  The  altar    stands    nearer   to    the    smner 
than  the  laver.     The  Spirit  leads  him,  with 
his  heart  unrenewed,  to  the  cross  of  Christ. 
There  he  receives  forgiveness.     There  he 
is  clothed  in  the  spotless  righteousness  of 
Christ,     And  then,  but  not  till  then,  the 
Spirit  sprinkles    him    with    the   water    of 
regeneration.      So  writes   St.    Paul, — "Ye 
are  all  the  children  of  God  through  faith  in 
Christ  Jesus''    And  so  St.  John  declares,— 
"  As  many  as  received  Him  to  them  gave  He 
power  to  become  the  sons  of  God."     Re- 
newal  cannot   go   before   forgiveness.      It 
must   follow   after   it.     When    the    sinner 
bathes  his  soul  in  the   blood  of  Jesus,  it  is 
no  matter  of  uncertainty  whether  or  not  it 
will  be  washed  in  the  layer  of  the  Spirit. 
It  is  as  sure  as  that  God  is  holy,  as  sure  as 
that  God  is  true,  for  heaven  is  the  believer's 
by  promise,  and  nothing  unclean  can  ente-: 


130  THE    LAYER. 

there."  Christ  is  made  of  God  unto  his 
people,  first  righteousness,  and  then  sanctifica- 
tion.  "  Say  not/'  observes  good  Archbishop 
Leighton,  "  Unless  I  find  some  measure  of 
sanctification,  what  right  have  I  to  apply 
Him  as  my  righteousness  ?  This  inverts 
the  order,  and  disappoints  thee  of  both. 
Thou  must  first,  Avithout  finding,  yea  or 
seeking  anything  in  thyself  but  misery  and 
guiltiness,  lay  hold  on  Ilim  as  thy  righteous- 
ness ;  or  else  thou  shalt  never  find  Him 
thy  sanctification.  Simply  as  a  guilty  sin- 
ner thou  must  flee  to  Him  for  shelter; 
and  then,  being  come  in,  thou  shalt  be 
furnished  out  of  his  fulness,  with  grace 
for  grace." 

And  thus  we  have  seen  what  we  are 
taught  1)?/  the  laver  with  its  supidhj  of  cleans- 
ing  water ; — hg  the  persons  tvho  used  the 
laver ; — and  hg  the  iiosition  ivhich  the  laver 
occujned 


THE    LAYER.  131 

111  conclusion,  the  thought  which  the 
consideration  of  this  subject  impresses  on 
our  minds  with  greatest  force,  is  that  of — 
the  infinite  Jioliness  of  God, 

This  truth  flashes  out  before  us  from  the 
flame  which  was  ever  burning  on  the  sacred 
altar.  We  see  it  in  the  charred  remains 
of  the  victim  consumed  there,  and  in  the 
clouds  of  wreathing  smoke  that  ascend 
from  the  altar.  But  we  see  the  same  truth 
in  the  laver  also.  It  sparkles  forth  from 
every  ray  of  light  reflected  from  the  sur- 
face of  its  crystal  water.  The  liquid 
sounds  of  the  splashing  streams  as  they  fall 
from  the  laver  to  the  base  are  eloquent  pro- 
claimers  of  it.  And  we  see  it  illustrated, 
0  how  impressively,  in  the  unceasing  wash- 
ings performed  there  by  the  priests  !  ^^  A 
little  imperceptible  dust,  unavoidably  con- 
tracted in  their  pathway  through  the  wil- 
derness, was  sufficient  to  render  them  unfit 


]32  THE    LAYER. 

for  God's  service.  Even  this  would  have 
exposed  them  to  His  consuming  judgments, 
if  they  had  attempted  to  minister  before 
Ilim  without  its  having  been  previously- 
washed  away.  "  When  they  go  into  the 
tabernacle,  they  shall  wa^h  with  water  that 
the?/  die  not ;  or,  when  they  come  near  to 
the  altar  to  minister,  they  shall  wash  their 
hands  and  their  feet  that  they  die  not!'  It 
was  not  only  that  gross  defilements  would 
unfit  them  for  their  ministry,  and  call  down 
vengeance  on  their  heads,  but  the  slightest 
contact  with  uncleanness — a  speck  upon 
the  hand  or  foot,  rendered  them  obnoxious 
to  the  fire  of  judgment,  if  they  ventured 
unwashed  into  the  presence  of  that  God 
'^  who  looketh  upon  the  heavens  and  they 
are  unclean,  and  chargeth  His  angels  with 
folly."  How  awful  the  mnjesty  of  this 
holy  God !  He  dwelleth  in  the  high  and 
holy  place.    His  name  is  holy.     His  nature 


THE    LAVEE.  133 

is  holy.    ^^  Without  holiness  no  man  can  see 
the  Lord." 

"  All,  how  can  guilty  raan 
Be  jnst  with  such  a  God  ? 
Who,  who  can  meet  Ilim  and  escape 
But  through  the  Saviour's  blood  V* 

There  is  nothing  that  proclaims  the  ne- 
cessity of  the  atonement  more  convincingly 
than  this  view  of  the  infinite  holiness  of 
God.  Stand  by  the  laver  with  its  cleansing 
water,  and  you  are  in  the  best  possible  posi- 
tion to  understand  the  meaning,  and  feel 
the  power  of  the  truth  embodied  in  the  lines 
of  the  hymn  which  declares  : 

"  There  must  a  Mediator  plead, 

Who  God  and  man  may  both  embrace, 
W^ith  God  for  man  to  intercede, 

And  offer  man  the  purchased  grace. 

And  lo  !  the  Son  of  God  is  slain, 

To  be  this  Mediator  crowi.'d  : 
In  Ilim  my  soul,  be  cleansed  from  stain, 

In  Him  thy  righteousness  be  found." 


134  THE    LAYER. 

Hoio  lohmnly  tJiis  suhject  speaJiS  to  yoii^  my 
Hear  hearers^  ivlio   are  neglecting  the  process 
of  deansing   winch   God  has  iwovided^   and 
trusting  to  anything  else  to  fit  you  for  aj^pear- 
ing  before  Him.     No   other  washing  would 
have  sufficed  for  the  Jewish  priests    save 
that  which  was    conducted    at  the   vessel 
appointed  by  God  to  hold  purifying  waters. 
If  they  had  thought  to  cleanse  themselves 
at  some  other  washing  place,  of  their  own 
construction,  instead  of  at  the  laver,  they 
would    have    exposed   themselves    to    the 
wrath    of  Crod,    as  much    as  if   they    had 
altogether  neglected  His   commands.      He 
had   provided  a   process    of   cleansing,  ar- 
ranged   according    to    His    own   will,  and 
which  He  knew  would  fit  them   perfectly 
for  His  service.     If  they  had    sought    an- 
other,   it   would    have    proved    that    they 
either  despised  His    commands,  or   under- 
valued what  He  had    furnished    for    their 


THE    LAYER.  135 

use.  Ill  eitlier  case  they  would  have  been 
guilty  of  a  direct  insult  to  the  majesty,  holi- 
ness, and  wisdom  of  God.  And  what  was 
true  of  the  sign,  is  true  of  the  thing  signi- 
fied. What  was  true  of  the  shadow  is 
much  more  true  of  the  substance. 

God  has  Kfted  up  his  son  Jesus  on  the 
cross.  In  His  blood,  there  shed.  He  has 
opened  a  fountain  of  cleansing.  His  great 
command  to  all  the  gTiilty  and  polluted 
children  of  men  is :  "  Go  wash  in  thnt 
fountain  and  be  clean."  Believe  on  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved. 

Have  3^ou  washed  in  that  fountain  ?  If 
you  have, — -your  sins  are  forgiven.  Your 
soul  is  cleansed.  Your  salvation  is  secured. 
If  you  have  not — your  pollution  clings  to 
you  still.  "  The  wrath  of  God  abideth  on 
you."  "  If  /  wash  thee  not" — says  Jesus 
to  you,  as  He  said  to  Peter — "  If  I  wash 
thee  notj  thou  hast  no  part  in  me  1"    No 


136  THE    LAYER. 

part  in  my  pardon.  No  part  in  my  right- 
eousness.  No  part  in  my  peace.  No  part 
in  my  salvation.  0  wash  in  this  fountain 
and  be  clean ! 

"  The  dying  thief  rejoiced  to  see 
This  fountain  in  his  day ; 
And  there  may  we,  though  vile  as  he 
Wash  all  our  guilt  awaj." 


CHAPTER    IT. 


*"  giitb  iljou  sbnlt  mnlie  tlje  scben  Inmp ;  anb  lljcg  ^l^nll 
licjljt  tijc  lamps  tjjcnof  lljal  lljcji  mag  gib-e  licjljt  obzx 
against  it/ —-Exodus,  xxv.  37. 


THE  GOLDEN  CANDLESTICK. 
Jewish  Tabernacle. 


p.  139. 


IV. 

The  brazen  altar  enlisted  the  element  of 
fire  in  its  service.  The  brazen  laver  in  its 
use  employed  the  element  of  water.  But 
the  golden  candlestick,  which  we  are  next 
to  consider,  connected  with  the  part  it  bore 
in  the  solemn  worship  of  the  sanctuary  the 
interesting  element  of  light.  Of  all  the 
elements  of  nature  light  is  the  most  subtle, 
the  most  mysterious,  and  yet  the  most 
beautiful. 


"Prime  clieerer,  Li^ht! 
Of  all  material  beings  the  first  and  best ! 
Efflux  divine  !     Nature's  resplendent  robe ! 
A^'itbout  whose  vesting  beauty,  all  were  wrapt 
lu  unessential  p'loomi" 


140  THE    CANDLESTICK. 

Nothing  can  be  a  more  appropriate  hand- 
maid of  religion  in  her  hallowed  services 
than  this  interesting  element.  How  beaii- 
tifally  the  sweet-spirited  Bonar  discourses 
of  its  proj)erties ! 

"  The  light  IS  ever  silent ; 
It  sparldes  on  morn's  million  gems  of  dew, 
It  flings  itself  into  the  shower  of  noon, 
It  weaves  its  gold  into  the  cloud  of  sunset, — 
Yet  not  a  sound  is  heard  ;  it  dashes  full 
On  yon  broad  rock,  yet  not  an  echo  answers ; 
It  lights  in  myriad  drops  uj)on  the  flower. 
Yet  not  a  blossom  stirs;  it  does  not  move 
The  slightest  film  of  floating  gossamer. 
Which  the  faint  touch  of  insect's  wino;  would  shiver. 


The  light  is  ever  pure  ; 
No  art  of  man  can  rob  it  of  its  beauty, 
Nor  stain  its  unpolluted  heavenliness. 
It  is  the  fairest,  purest  thing  in  nature, 
Fit  type  of  that  ftiir  heaven  where  all  is  pure, 
And  into  which  no  evil  thing  can  enter. 
Where  darkness  comes  not,  where  no  shadow  falls, 
Where  night  and  sin  can  have  no  dw(dling  place! 

We  are  all  familiar  with  the  rise  of  this 
term  light  in   Scripture^  as  expressive  of 


THE    CANDLESTICK.  141 

the  character  of  Gocl,  and  connected  with 
His  service.  Hence  we  read  that  "  God  is 
light,  and  in  Him  is  no  darkness  at  alL" 
It  is  said  of  Him  that  "  He  dwelleth  in 
light."  "  He  decketh  Himself  with  light 
as  with  a  garment."  Jesus  said  of  Him- 
self, "  I  am  the  light  of  the  world."  And 
of  his  people  it  is  said  that  they  are  "  the 
children  of  light."  We  cannot  wonder  then 
to  find  the  golden  candlestick,  and  its 
heaven-derived  light  occupying  a  prominent 
place  in  the  service  of  the  Jewish  Taber- 
nacle. 

Thus  far,  in  our  meditations  on  this  sub- 
ject, we  have  been  standing  in  the  Court 
of  the  Tabernacle,  outside  of  the  sacred 
structure  itself.  We  now  draw  near,  and 
enter  the  Tabernacle.  Look  for  a  moment 
at  its  form,  size,  and  structure^  before  we 
enter. 

It  was  an  edifice  of  an  oblong,  rectangular 


142  THE   CANDLESTICK. 

form.  Its  length  was  fortj-five  feet ;  its 
breadth  and  height  each  fifteen  feet.  The 
two  sides  and  the  western  end  were  formed 
of  boards  of  shittim  wood,  overlaid  with 
thin  plates  of  gold,  and  fixed  in  solid 
sockets,  or  vases  of  silver.  Above  they 
were  secured  by  bars  of  the  same  wood, 
overlaid  with  gold,  passing  through  rings 
of  gold  which  were  fixed  in  the  boards. 
On  the  east  end,  which  was  the  entrance, 
there  were  no  boards,  but  five  pillars  of 
shittim  wood,  which,  with  their  chapiters 
and  fillets  were  overlaid  with  gold.  These 
pillars  were  furnished  with  hooks  of  gold, 
from  which  hung  a  vail  or  curtain,  of  varie- 
gated colors.  This  curtain  formed  the  door 
of  the  Holy  Place.  This  entire  enclosure 
was  divided  into  two  parts,  by  a  vail  or 
curtain  which  hung  between  them.  The 
exact  dimensions  of  these  difi'erent  parts 
of  the  tabernacle  are  not  given  us  in  the 


THE  HOLY  PLACE,  WITH  THE  VEIL  OF  SEPARATION. 
Jewish  Tabernacle.  p.  1-42. 


THE    CANDLESTICK.  143 

Scriptures.  It  is  generally  supposed,  how- 
ever, that  it  was  divided  in  the  same  pro- 
portion as  the  temple,  afterwards  built 
according  to  its  model.  If  this  supposition 
is  correct  then,  two-thirds  of  the  whole 
length  were  allotted  to  the  first  room,  or  the 
Holy  Place,  and  one  third,  to  the  second, 
or  the  Most  Holy  Place.  Thus  the  Holy 
Place  would  be  thirty  feet  long,  fifteen 
wide,  and  fifteen  high ;  and  the  inner  ap- 
partment,  or  the  Most  Holy  Place,  would 
be  fifteen  feet  each  way. 

The  tabernacle,  thus  erected  was  covered 
with  four  different  kinds  of  curtains.  The 
first,  or  inner  curtain  was  composed  of  fine 
linen,  magnificently  embroidered  with  figures 
of  cherubim  in  colors  of  blue,  purple,  and 
scarlet ;  this  formed  the  beautiful  ceiling  of 
the  tabernacle.  The  next  covering  was 
made  of  goats'  hair,  of  a  pure  white  color ; 
the  third  was  of  rams'  skins  dyed  red ;  and 


144  niE    CANDLESTICK. 

the  four  til  was  of  badgers'  skins.  Such 
was  the  form  and  general  structure  of  the 
tabernacle,  and  such  the  coverings  by  which 
ts  sacred  furniture  was  protected  from  in- 
jury by  the  action  of  the  elements. 

Now  mark  the  difference  between  the 
inner  and  the  outer  of  these  four  curtains. 
As  we  enter  the  Holy  Place,  which  repre- 
sents the  Church  of  Christ — the  curtain 
which  forms  the  ceiling,  and  hangs  down 
before  us  and  behind  us,  in  blending  shades 
of  blue,  purple,  and  scarlet,  is  curiously 
wrought  all  over  with  figures  of  cherubim. 
This  seems  to  intimate  the  connection  of 
angels  with  the  Church,  and  the  bright 
vision  disclosed  to  the  view  of  those  who 
enter  it.  But  look  now,  in  contrast  with 
this,  at  the  outer  curtain.  It  was  formed 
of  rough  leather.  Its  appearance  was  dark 
and  repelling.  Yet  that  enveloped  the 
whole  structure  of  the  tabernacle,  as  if  to 


THE    CANDLESTICK.  145 

show  the  aspect  which  the  things  of  salva- 
tion present  to  those  who  look  at  them 
only  from  a  distance,  from  an  external  point 
of  view,  and  whose  eyes  have  not  been 
opened  to  behold  their  hidden  beauties,  and 
to  see  them  in  the  light  which  shines  upon 
them  from  the  golden  candlestick  of  revela- 
tion. The  first  division  of  the  sanctuary 
represented  the  Church  on  earth ;  the 
second  division  represented  the  Church  in 
heaven.  They  were  both  covered  and  sur- 
rounded by  the  same  curtain,  which,  as  we 
have  seen  before,  was  typical  of  Christ,  as 
if  to  teach  us  that  in  heaven,  as  on  earth, 
we  shall  be  alike  connected  with  the  right- 
eousness of  Christ,  as  that  in  which  we 
shall  stand,  and  from  which  all  our  happi- 
ness shall  flow. 

But  it  is  time  for  us  to  proceed.  Well 
now,  let  us  rais(*  the  curtain  which  hangs  at 
the  eastern  end  )f  the  tabernacle,  and  enter 


146  THE    CANDLESTICK. 

the  IIolj  Place.  A  sense  of  awe  may  well 
come  over  us  as  we  tread  wathin  its  hallowed 
precincts^  for  it  is  the  sanctuary  of  the  Most 
High, — ''  the  place  where  His  honor  dwell- 
eth." 

Now,  as  we  stand  within  this  sacred  en- 
closure, three  objects  meet  our  view.  At 
the  left,  on  the  south  side  of  the  Holy  Place, 
stands  the  golden  candlestick,  shedding  the 
mild  radiance  of  its  heavenly  light  all  through 
the  place.  Opposite  the  candlestick,  on  the 
right,  stands  the  table  of  shew-bread ;  while 
before  us,  and  directly  in  front  of  the  vail 
which  hides  from  view  the  Most  Holy  Place, 
stands  the  golden  altar  of  incense.  Each 
of  these  will,  in  turn,  engage  our  attention. 

We  have  to  do,  at  present,  with  tJie 
golden  candlestick.  This  was  made  of  solid 
gold.  The  amount  of  this  precious  metal 
employed  in  the  making  of  it  was  a  talent 
in  weight,  according  to  the  Jewish  reckon 


THE  HOLY  PLACE.  AND  THE  MOST  HOLY  PLACE. 

(The  Veil  of  Separation  willidrawn.) 

Jewish  Tabernacle.  p.  146. 


THE   CANDLESTICK.  lij 

ing.  This  was  equivalent  to  one  Imndred  and 
twenty-five  pounds,  Troy  weight.  At  this 
rate  the  material  employed  in  the  candle- 
stick might  be  reckoned,  in  value,  at  about 
thirty-five  thousand  dollars.  The  exact 
form  and  dimensions  of  it  are  not  given. 
There  is  therefore  room  for  difference  of 
opinion  in  regard  to  the  detail  of  its  arrange- 
ments. This  difi'erence  is  seen  in  the  dif- 
ferent forms  given  to  its  base, — the  height 
assigned  it, — and  the  arrangement  of  its 
branches.  The  seven  lamps  of  the  candle- 
stick are  sometimes  represented  as  all  ar- 
ranged on  the  same  level ;  while  at  other 
times  the  lamp  on  the  central  shaft  is  repre- 
sented as  rising  higher  than  the  rest.  The 
exact  truth  on  this  point  cannot  noAV  be 
determined,  as  nothing  is  said  on  the  subject 
in  the  Scriptures.  I  prefer  to  take  the 
latter  view  of  it.  We  have  New  Testament 
authority  for  considering  this  candlestick  as 


148  THE    CANDLESTICK. 

a  figure  of  tlie  Church.  Eev.  i.  12,  20. 
This  may  aid  us  in  our  explanation.  But 
let  us  examine  the  different  parts  of  the 
candlestick.  It  was  composed  of  a  main 
shafty  tuith  its  connecting  branches.  If  these 
branches  represent  the  Church  of  Christ, 
the  central  shaft  may  well  be  regarded  as 
representing  Christ  Himself.  As  the  vine 
and  its  branches  denote  Christ  and  His 
people,  so  the  candlestick  and  its  branches 
may  be  taken  in  the  same  sense.  From 
Christ  the  Church  springs,  and  by  Him  it 
is  supported,  as  the  outspreading  arms  of  the 
candlestick  are  by  its  central  shaft.  The 
Churcli  is  united  to  Him,  and  sustained  by 
Him.  When  the  prophet  saw  in  vision,  a 
golden  candlestick,  with  seven  lamps,  he 
speaks  of  a  bowl  upon  the  top  of  it,  from 
which,  by  pipes,  the  golden  oil  was  con- 
veyed to  the  lamps.  This  idea  was  not 
engrafted  upon  the  tabernacle  candlestick. 


THE    CANDLESTICK.  149 

But  it  gives  us  an  interesting  illustration 
of  the  relation  existins:  between  Christ  and 

CD 

His  people.  "  Of  His  fulness  they  all 
receive."  From  Him  the  golden  oil  of  grace 
flows  down  to  them.  Their  life,  their 
strength,  their  beauty,  and  their  usefulness 
are  all  derived  from  Him. 

Notice  next  the  branches  of  the  candle- 
stick. These  sprang  from  the  central  shaft, 
and  were  of  the  same  material  with  each 
other,  and  with  it.  So  it  is  with  Christ 
and  His  people.  "  He  Avho  sanctifieth,  and 
they  who  are  sanctified  are  all  of  one." 
''  As  He  IS,  so  are  ive  in  this  worlds  "  When 
He  shall  appear  we  shall  be  like  Him." 
But  the  shaft  was  higher  than  the  branches, 
"  for  it  pleased  the  Father  that,  in  all 
things,  He," — Christ — "should  have  the 
pre-eminence." 

Notice  next  the  ornaments  upon  the 
candlestick.     There  were  three,  viz.,  howh^ 

13* 


150  THE    CANDLESTICK. 

Jrnops,  and  floivers.  There  were  "  bowls 
like  almonds"  wrouglit  upon  it.  In  these 
the  branches  terminated,  forming  appro- 
priate receptacles  for  the  lamps  of  the 
candlestick.  It  may  be  asked  why  was  the 
almond  chosen,  both  here  and  in  Aaron's 
rod  ?  The  reason  is  not  assigned.  It  may 
have  been  because  the  almond  was  the  first 
tree  to  bud  in  the  spring,  which  would  make 
it  a  fit  type  of  Him  who  is  "  the  first-born 
from  the  dead." 

The  next  ornament  was  the  hiojJS.  What 
these  were  is  not  known.  Josephus  says 
they  were  pomegranates.  This  was  a  spe- 
cies of  apple.  The  fruit  when  ripe  was  as 
large  as  a  good-sized  orange.  Artificial 
pomegranates  were  much  used  as  architec- 
tural ornaments.  These  knops,  or  knobs, 
may  have  been  swelling  buds,  from  which 
the  branches  of  the  candlestick  sprang,  ex- 
pressing the  idea  that  these  spreading  arm^ 


THE    CANDLESTICK.  151 

owed  both  their  existence  and  their  fruit- 
fulness  to  the  parent  stem. 

The  other  ornaments  of  the  candlestick 
were  the  flowers.  These  are  natural  em- 
blems of  beauty.  They  represent  the 
spiritual  loveliness  of  Christ's  people.  But 
the  flowers  of  nature,  though  surpassingly 
beautiful,  are  frail  and  perishing.  But  the 
flowers  of  grace  are  all  possessed  of  an 
amaranthine  property.  They  bloom  for 
immortality.  Of  this  the  candlestick  gave 
eloquent  intimations  in  its  flowers  of  heaien 
gold.  These  flowers  wrought  in  gold,  what 
an  interesting  figure  they  furnish  of  the 
permanence,  or  perpetuity  that  shall  charac- 
terize the  spiritual  beauty  of  the  new  crea- 
tion, effected  by  the  grace  of  God,  in  Christ 
Jesus. 

Such  was  the  golden  candlestick  of  the 
Tabernacle,  in  its  form,  its  structure,  and 
adornments. 


152  THE     CANDLESTICK. 

We  proceed  now  to  consider  the  lessons 
whicli  it  taught.  There  are  three  most  im- 
portant lessons  taught  ns  by  this  candle- 
stick. In  the  first  place,  it  taught  the  neces- 
sity OF  A  DIVINE  REVELATION. 

The  light  which  beamed  from  this  candle- 
stick, was  derived  from  heaven.  It  was  the 
only  light,  which  shone  in  the  tabernacle. 
There  was  no  window  in  it.  Natural  lights, 
the  light  of  day,  never  entered  or  shed  its 
rays  there.  Suppose  the  candlestick  had 
been  removed,  or  its  lamp  left  2mlighted, 
and  we  had  been  introduced  into  the  taber- 
nacle, what  would  have  been  our  condition  ? 
Darkness,  like  that  of  Egypt,  would  have 
surrounded  us.  No  single  ray  of  light  would 
have  relieved  the  gloom.  The  hallowed  fur- 
niture would  have  been  all  there  in  its  place. 
The  gorgeous  walls  of  burnished  gold  would 
have  shut  us  in,  on  either  side.  The  varie- 
gated curtain  with  its  beautiful  tracery  of 


THE    CANDLESTICK.  153 

cheiTibic  emblems  would  have  been  spread 
out  in  silent  majesty  above  our  heads.  But 
what  the  better  should  vfe  have  been  for  all 
this  lavish  expenditure  of  wealth  and  beauty? 
No  trace  of  the  loveliness  there  existing ; — 
no  dawning  gleam,  no  faint  conception  of 
the  rich  instruction,  the  precious  treasury  of 
suggestive,  saving  faith  with  which  that  hal- 
lowed place  was  furnished,  should  we  have 
been  able  to  take  in.  The  light  of  the  outer 
world  could  not  enter  there.  Unless  then 
the  golden  candlestick  shed  its  light  upon 
the  surrounding  objects,  we  should  have  seen 
nothing,  and  known  nothing  of  the  things 
that  pertain  to  our  salvation. 

How  eloquently  the  candlestick  thus 
teaches  us  the  necessity  of  a  divine  revela- 
tion !  Without  the  lidit  of  the  candlestick, 
darkness,  the  most  profound,  must  have  filled 
the  tabernacle.  And  just  such  would  have 
been  our  condition,  spiritually  considered, 


154  THE    CANDLESTICK. 

without  the  light  of  divine  revelation.     Rea- 
son, the  natural  sun  in  the  mental  world, 
can  shed  no  light  upon  the  soul's  concerns. 
There  is   no   window,  in  the   soul,  through 
which  the  light  of  this  natural  luminary  can 
shine.     The  priest  in  the   sanctuary  could 
only  see  his  way  and  discharge  his  duties 
by  the  help  of  light  from  the  candlestick, 
and  this  was  light  from  heaven,  a  divin^ 
revelation.     And  it  is  only  by  the  aid  of 
such  a  revelation  that  we  can  see  our  w^ay 
in  reference  to  spiritual  things.     God  left  the 
world,  for  four  thousand  years,  to  test  the 
experiment  fully,  of  the  power  of  reason  to 
guide   a  lost  world  back  to  the  God  from 
whom   it   had    w\andered.      The    result   of 
that  experiment  was  that  "  the   w^orld  by 
wisdom  knew  not  God."     Reason  is  ngt  to 
be  laid  aside  w^hen  we  come  to  the  consid- 
eration of  spiritual  things.     There  is  nothing 
in  this  department  of  knowledge  which  con. 


THE    CANDLESTICK.  155 

tradicts  the  teachings  of  sound  enhghtened 
reason.  But  in  examining  the  truths  of 
revelation,  it  is  necessary  that  reason  should 
feel  that  she  is  in  the  presence  of  a  higher 
poAver.  She  should  bow  her  head  reverently, 
as  a  pupil  sitting  down  at  the  feet  of  his 
master,  or  as  a  child  coming  to  a  parent  for  in- 
struction. As  the  Jewish  priest  passed  from 
the  light  of  the  outer  world  into  the  mild  radi- 
ance shed  by  the  golden  candlestick,  when 
he  would  learn  of  God  and  serve  Him  with 
acceptance ;  so  we  must  hold  in  abeyance 
the  uncertain  dictates  of  unsanctified  natural 
reason,  and  let  our  minds  be  lighted  up  with 
the  beams  which  shine  from  revelation's  can- 
dlestick, if  w^e  would  properly  understand 
"the  things  which  accompany  salvation." 
This  was  the  Psalmist's  feeling  as  his  rever- 
ent Spirit  thus  expressed  itself,  while  wait- 
ing before  God  :  "  With  Thee  is  the  fountain 
of  life — in   iliy  light  we  shall  see  light." 


156  THE    CANDLESTICK. 

The  God  of  the  Bible  is  "  the  Father  of 
lights."  But  it  is  only  as  He  reveals  Him- 
self that  He  can  be  known.  Hence  said  our 
Saviour,  "  No  man  knoweth  the  Father  save 
the  Son,  and  he  to  whom  the  Son  shall  re- 
veal Him."  "  The  natural  man  receiveth  not 
the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  neither  can 
he  know  them,  because  they  are  spiritually 
discerned."  And  thus  as  we  see  the  golden 
candlestick,  shining  in  the  Holy  Place,  giving 
forth  the  only  light  by  which  anything  can 
be  seen  there,  we  are  taught  a  most  impres- 
sive lesson  respecting  the  necessity  of  divine 
revelation. 

But,  secondly^  ive  are  taught  here  luith  equal 
clearness  the  benefits  of  such  a  revelation. 
We  perceive  this  the  moment  we  look  around 
us,  in  the  Holy  Place,  and  observe  what  the 
light  of  the  candlestick  discloses  to  our  view. 
See,  over  against  it  stands  the  golden  table 
with  its  shew-bread.    Twelve  loaves  of  bread 


THE    CANDLESTICK.  157 

stood  upon  this  table,  representing  the  dif- 
ferent tribes  of  Israel.  This  bread  was  re- 
newed, from  time  to  time,  continually,  so  as 
to  be  always  fresh  and  good.  It  denoted 
the  plenteousness  of  God's  house,  the  abun- 
dant provision  there  made  for  the  wants  of 
his  people.  The  loaves  upon  that  table 
pointed  to  Christ,  the  true  manna,  the  bread 
that  came  down  from  heaven.  He  that 
eateth  of  this  bread  shall  live  for  ever;  and 
shall  never  hunger  for  the  bread  on  which 
others  feed.  The  candlestick,  with  its 
heavenly  light,  enabled  the  priest,  as  he  en- 
tered the  Holy  Place,  to  see  where  to  find 
this  bread.  He  could  not  have  seen  it  with- 
out this  light.  And  so  it  is  only  the  light 
of  divine  revelation  which  reveals  Christ,  the 
heavenly  bread,  to  souls  that  are  hungering 
and  perishing  for  the  want  of  it.  Close 
your  Bible,  put  out  the  light  which  shines 

from  the  golden  candlestick  of  divine  revela- 

14 


158  THE    CANDLESTICK. 

tion,  and  a  pall,  of  thickest  darkness,  is 
spread  over  all  the  universe.  Jesus,  the  only 
satisfying  portion  for  the  soul,  is  hidden  from 
view.  And  no  efforts,  however  persistently 
made,  can  reveal  Him.  Then,  indeed,  it  is 
true  that  "  none  can  by  searching  find  Him 
out — none  can  know  Him"  to  their  satisfac- 
tion or  salvation.  "  The  sea  saith.  He  is  not 
with  me,  and  the  depth  saith.  He  is  not  in 
me.  He  cannot  be  gotten  for  gold  or  silver ; 
for  the  precious  onyx  or  the  sapphire."  We 
often  see  men  rejecting  revelation,  turning 
their  backs  upon  the  light  which  shines  from 
God's  golden  candlestick,  and  then  go  grop- 
ing their  way  in  darkness,  through  the  world 
of  nature,  to  find  a  substitute  for  a  rejected 
Saviour,  as  the  food  and  portion  of  their 
souls.  But  the  experiment,  though  often 
made,  is  always  unsuccessful.  What  an 
illustrious  example  of  this  is  furnished  in 
the  case  of  the  late  Baron  Humboldt.     He 


THE    CANDLESTICK.  159 

was  a  modern  apostle  of  the  natural  sciences. 
He  devoted  the  energies  of  his  gigantic  mind 
unceasingly  to  this  class  of  studies.  He  had 
ranged  through  nature  in  all  her  departments. 
He  was  perfectly  familiar  with  her  awful 
mysteries.  He  seemed  like  a  walking  en- 
cyclopedia of  this  kind  of  knowledge.  But 
he  looked  at  nature  in  the  light  of  reason 
only.  Revelation's  light  he  discarded.  Did 
he  succeed  in  finding  a  substitute  for  Christ 
as  the  bread  from  heaven,  the  satisfying  por- 
tion of  his  soul  ?  We  have  our  answer  in 
one  of  his  heart-utterances  breathed  into  the 
ear  of  an  intimate  friend  not  long  before  his 
death.  "  /  live  a  joyless  life'  was  his  ac- 
knowledgment. How  instructive,  how  affect- 
ing !  Here  is  a  man  with  all  the  treasures 
of  knowledge,  connected  with  earthly  sci- 
ences, poured  out  at  his  feet,  and  all  the 
honors  that  emanate  from  earthly  sources 
heaped  upon  his  head — and   yet  "  in  the 


IGO 


THE     CANDLESTICK 


midst  of  his  sufficiencies  he  is  in  straits." 
"I  live  a  joyless  life"  is  the  sorrowful  sigh- 
ing of  his  unsatisfied  spirit.  Contrast  this 
with  the  experience  of  those  who^  walking 
in  the  light  of  God's  golden  candlestick,  have 
found  Christ,  the  bread  from  heaven,  and  live 
continually  on  Him.  WJien  their  experi- 
ence takes  form  and  clothes  itself  with  lan- 
guage, it  finds  expression,  thus  : 

"From  pole  to  pole,  let  others  roam, 
And  search  in  vain  for  bliss  ; 
Our  souls  are  satisfied  at  home ; 
The  Lord  our  portion  is. 

Ills  word  of  promise  is  our  food  ; 

His  Spirit  is  our  guide  ; 
Thus  daily  is  our  strength  renew'd 

And  all  our  wants  supplied." 

The  difference  between  these  two  classes 
of  persons  may  be  all  expressed  by  the 
different  termination  given  to  the  adjective 
which  (qualifies  their   lives.     Baron   Hum- 


THE    CANDLESTICK.  IGl 

boldt  representing  one  class,  said,  "  I  live  a 
joyless  life."  Any  true  Cliristian  represent- 
ing the  other  would  say,  "  I  live  a  joyful 
life."  As  pointing  out  the  bread  upon  the 
table  in  the  sanctuary— the  satisfying  pro- 
vision made  for  the  wants  of  God's  people, 
the  candlestick  in  the  tabernacle  illustrated 
the  henejits  of  divine  revelation. 

But  turn  now  from  the  table  of  shew- 
bread,  and  see,  directly  in  front  of  us, 
stands  the  golden  altar  of  incense.  Fragrant 
odors  are  rising  from  it.  This  points  to  the 
acceptance  of  the  prayers  of  God's  people, 
through  the  prevailing  efficacy  of  the  sacri- 
fice of  Christ.  The  candlestick  revealed 
this  in  the  tabernacle.  And  that  which  the 
golden  altar  and  its  incense  typified,  viz., 
the  way  of  acceptance  with  God  for  guilty 
sinners,  the  light  of  revelation  alone  dis- 
closes. Where  else  can  you  go  and  find  a 
satisflxctory  answer  to  the   question— "  IIow 

14^ 


162  THE    CANDLESTICK. 

shall  man  be  just  with  God  ?"  You  hear 
some  anxious  soul,  oppressed  and  burdened 
under  a  sense  of  sin,  propounding  the  mo- 
mentous inquiry — "  ^Vherewithal  shall  I 
come  before  the  Lord,  and  bow  myself 
before  the  Most  High  ?"  But  reason  can 
suggest  no  solution  to  the  important  prob- 
lem. History,  philosophy,  observation, 
and  experience,  though  gathered  from  all 
the  outspreadings  of  the  globe,  apart  from 
the  Bible  and  its  teachings,  can  throAV  no 
light  upon  it.  But  bring  the  question  up 
to  where  revelation  shines,  and  it  is  resolved 
at  once.  A  way  of  access  to  the  mercy- 
seat,  through  the  infinite  merits  of  the  sacri- 
fice of  Christ  is  clearly  manifested.  Through 
Ilim,  the  prayers,  the  persons,  and  the  ser- 
vices of  His  people  all  find  acceptance. 

And  then,  observe  the  light  which  shone 
from  the  candlestick  disclosed  itself  to 
vieiu.     We  read  that  "  it  gave  light  over 


THE    CANDLESTICK.  163 

against  it."  The  candlestick  represented 
the  mystery  of  Christ  and  His  Church.  It 
was  a  beautiful  illustration  of  the  union 
existing  between  Jesus  and  His  ransomed 
people,  and  of  their  participation  in  the 
glorious  blessings  of  His  grace.  But,  it  was 
only  the  light  dispensed  by  the  lamps  on 
the  candlestick  which  could  bring  this  out 
to  view.  Yes,  it  was  this  which  revealed 
all  that  beautiful  tracery  of  fruits  and  flow- 
ers which  appeared  on  that  golden,  central 
shaft.  That  shaft  represents  Christ.  That 
graceful  adornment  with  which  it  is  ( overed 
over,  points  out  the  wonders  of  Ula  love, 
the  riches  of  His  grace,  the  treasured  sweet- 
ness of  His  saving  name,  in  His  covenant 
relation  to  His  people.  And  all  this  can 
only  be  seen  by  the  light  of  revelation,  as  it 
shines  in  the  sanctuary.  And  it  is  this  un- 
folding of  the  preciousness  of  Christ  which 
constitutes  the  glory  of  God's  hou^e.     The 


164  THE    CANLLESTICK. 

excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Jesus  is 
displayed  there.  It  is  the  place  of  His 
manifestation.  The  Bible  is,  throughout, 
'^  the  book  of  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ." 
It  was  this  unfolding  of  His  character  which 
constituted  "  the  power  and  glory"  of  God, 
w^iich  the  Psalmist  had  seen  in  the  sanc- 
tuary, and  which  he  so  earnestly  desired 
again  to  see.  And  it  is  this  which  makes 
the  sanctuary  seem,  to  the  believer,  to  be  so 
often  like  what  the  cleft  rock  in  the  moun- 
tain side  was  to  Moses, — and  what  Patmos, 
with  its  visions  of  glory,  was  to  St.  John, — • 
the  very  vestibule  of  heaven.  And  when 
we  look  round  on  aU  these  objects,  as  dis- 
closed to  us  in  the  Holy  Place  by  the  light 
of  the  candlestick,  then  in  the  good  things 
of  which  these  were  the  shadows  we  learn 
our  lesson  of  the  benefits  of  a  divine  reve- 
lation. 

We  hole  to  tJie  candlesticJc,  for  the  third 


THE    CANDLESTICK.  165 

lesson  which  it  teaches  us,  that  is,  the  ierfec- 

IION   OF    THIS    REVELATION. 

This  is  taught  us  by  the  number  of  lamps 
which  it  bore.  There  were  seven  of  these. 
This  number  denotes  completeness  or  per- 
fection. In  the  Apocalyptic  vision  of  heaven 
which  St.  John  had,  he  saw — "  seven  lamps 
of  fire  burning  before  the  throne,  which  are 
the  seven  spirits  of  God."  This  language 
refers  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  third  person 
in  the  adorable  Trinity.  It  denotes  that 
blessed  Spirit  in  the  exercise  of  his  omni- 
potent and  perfect  influences.  This  is 
referred  to  in  the  hymn  incorporated  into 
our  ordination  service.     Thus  it  reads  : 

"Come,  Holy  Ghost,  our  souls  inspire, 
And  lighten  with  celestial  fire. 
Thou,  the  anointing  Spirit  art. 
Who  dost  thy  sevenfold  gifts  impart." 

The  lamps  burning  on  the  golden  candle- 
stick, with  the  heavenly  light  they  imparted, 


166  THE    CANDLESTICK. 

were  a  type  or  emblem  of  this  Spirit.  All 
the  light  which  shone  in  the  Jewish  taber- 
nacle emanated  from  those  lamps;  and  so 
all  the  light,  in  reference  to  divine  things, 
which  shines  in  the  Christian  Sanctuary 
comes  from  the  Holy  Ghost.  He  is  the 
"  Lord  and  Giver  of  light."  He  is  the 
Author  of  revelation.  All  the  radiance 
which  it  sheds  around  the  pathway  of  the 
redeemed  proceeds  from  Him.  And  His 
light  is  perfect.  The  natural  light,  which 
beams  around  us  continually,  in  all  its  vary- 
ing beauty  is  made  up,  we  know,  of  the 
seven  primary  colors.  Its  seven-fold  nature 
makes  it  perfect.  And  so  it  is  with  the 
light  of  revelation,  the  light  whith  the  Holy 
Ghost  sheds  on  the  thin<2:s  that  relate  to  our 
salvation.  This  is  a  seven-fold,  or  perfect 
light.  It  is  not  perfect  in  its  degree,  now ; 
but  it  is  entirely  perfect  in  its  kind.  His 
light  is  sufficient  to  supply  the  wants  of  lU 


THE    Ci\NDLESTICK.  167 

believers,  and  to  finish  in  their  souls  every 
work  he  begins  there.  And  while  He  acts 
differently  on  each  individual,  sanctifying 
all,  yet  He  makes  no  two  exactly  alike. 
'^  For  as  the  sunbeam,  when  it  falls  upon  the 
landscape,  draws  forth  a  thousand  shades, 
of  which  each  is  beautiful,  and  yet  all  are 
different,  so  the  Spirit  of  God,  shining  in  the 
midst  of  the  people  of  Christ,  colors  each 
soul  with  a  peculiar  grace,  while  rendering 
all  partakers,  by  degrees,  of  advancing, 
complete,  and  universal  holiness." 

^*At  one  time  He  manifests  Himself  as  a 
Spirit  of  wisdom.  He  gives  skill,  knowledge, 
counsel.  Thus  He  inspired  Bezaleel  to  build 
the  tabernacle.  Thus  also  ^Joshua  was  full 
of  the  Spirit  of  wisdom,  for  Moses  had  laid 
his  hands  upon  him.'  This  means  that  he 
was  full  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  And  so 
Christ  himself,  receiving  for  us  the  Holy 
Ghost  in  all  His  fulness,  had  resting  on  Him 


168  THE    CANDLESTICK. 

'the  spirit  of  wisdom  and  understanding.' 
It  is  a  delightful  thought  that  He  does  so 
manifest  Himself.  Who  does  not  feel  again 
and  again^  his  need  of  wisdom.  Here  is  an 
ever-burning  lamp." 

"  Sometimes  he  manifests  himself  as  a 
Spirit  of  might.  Hence  St.  Paul  prays 
that  the  Ephesians  may  be  ''  strengthened 
with  might  by  his  spirit  in  the  inner  man. 
Wisdom  would  avail  us  little  without 
strength.  Our  own  strength  is  perfect 
weakness ;  but  all  in  whom  the  Spirit  of 
God  dwells,  ^out  of  weakness  are  made 
strong.' " 

"  Again  he  reveals  himself  as  a  Spirit  of 
truth.  The  peculiar  office  of  the  Spirit  is 
to  testify  of  Jesus,  and  to  lead  the  believer 
to  know  more  and  more  of  his  excellency 
and  glory.  The  Bible  is  the  Spirit's  book. 
No  heavenly  truths  are  known  to  man  with- 
out his  illumination.     All  the  lidit  of  the 


THE    CANDLESTICK.  169 

Chnrch  is  from  the  lamp  of  the  Spirit. 
Christ  himself,  in  promising  the  Comforter, 
three  times  calls  him  the  Spirit  of  truth. 
And  just  in  proportion  as  we  have  the 
Spirit;  will  be  our  real,  profitable  knowledge 
of  divine  truth.  "  He  leadeth  into  all 
truth."  "  The  Spirit  searcheth  all  things, 
yea,  the  deep  things  of  God." 

"  He  is  the  Spirit  of  promise.  The  gift 
of  the  Spirit  is  the  promise  of  Christ  to  all 
that  believe  on  him.  And  the  Spirit  having 
given  the  promises  of  scripture,  applies  them 
to  the  heart.  He  enables  the  behever  to 
grasp  the  promises,  and  use  them  for  the 
supply  of  his  own  individual  necessities. 
And  thus,  it  is  through  the  Spirit's  influence 
that  he  is  able  to  preserve  his  serenity  amid 
trial  and  temptation." 

"  He  is  the  Spirit  of  adoption.  Entering 
into  the  bosom  of  the  believer  he  gives  him 
a  son-like  feeling.     The  Christian,  through 

15 


170  THE    CANDLESTICK. 

the  indwelling  Spirit,  learns  to  look  upon 
God  as  his  Father.  lie  no  longer  stands  at 
a  distance  from  Him ;  his  very  sins,  which 
he  would  be  ashamed  to  tell  to  any  one  else, 
lie  pours  forth  with  more  than  filial  confi- 
dence, into  the  bosom  of  Jehovah ;  and  as 
an  adopted  child,  he  makes  it  his  grand  ob- 
ject to  walk  worthy  of  so  gracious  a  Father. 
Thus  believers  receive  the  Spirit  of  adoption 
whereby  they  cry — Abba  Father." 

"  In  short,  he  is  the  Spirit  of  grace, — the 
one  only  source  of  all  holiness, — the  author 
of  everything  in  the  believer's  conduct  that 
is  really  good, — the  great  Sanctifier,  and 
also  the  Spirit  of  glory,  fitting  the  people 
of  Christ  for  the  enjoyment  of  that  heaven 
which  is  already  theirs  by  right,  and  even 
now  throwing  around  them,  when  at  their 
best,  a  brightness  of  holiness  before  which 
all  worldly  glory  '  pales  its  ineffectual 
light.'" 


THE    CANDLESTICK.  171 

^*  There  is  also  endless  variety  in  the  gifts 
which  the  Spirit  bestows  on  difFerent  indi- 
viduals. All  are  not  Bezaleels,  endued 
with  special  talents  for  the  edifying  of  the 
Church;  nor  Joshuas,  full  of  wisdom  and 
vigor  to  do  great  things  in  the  cause  of 
Christ.  The  same  Spirit  gave  prudence  to 
James,  and  energy  to  Paul,  and  winning 
gentleness  to  John,  though  once  the  son  of 
thunder.  He  gives  different  gifts  to  dif- 
ferent individuals,  according  to  the  different 
works  he  has  planned  for  them.  And  even 
his  graces  are  not  bestowed  in  like  measure 
upon  all.  He  lighted  up  more  self-denying 
devotedness  in  Paul  than  in  all  the  other 
apostles.  He  filled  Peter  with  most  of  zeal, 
and  perhaps  least  of  firmness.  And  if  we 
knew  more  of  the  individual  characters  of 
the  rest  of  the  apostles,  we  should  find  in 
each  some  grace  marked  with  especial 
strength.     It  will  be  so  even   in   heaven. 


172  THE    CANDLESTICK. 

The  lamps  of  fire  are  seven  there.  The 
Spirit's  grace  though  abundant  for  all,  will 
be  given  according  to  the  need  of  each. 
And  thuSj  throughout  eternity,  there  will  be 
a  blessed  harmony  arising  from  the  union 
of  different  holy  characters.  There  will 
still  be  Peters,  and  Pauls,  and  Johns,  all 
perfect,  but  not  all  alike.  The  members  of 
Christ  will  still  have  their  several  offices. 
The  trees  in  the  heavenly  paradise, — the 
jewels  in  the  Jerusalem  that  is  above, — will 
not  be  all  the  same.  "  One  star  will  differ 
from  another  star  in  glory."  The  harps  of 
gold  will  sound  in  harmony,  but  not  in 
unison.  There  will  be  variety  there,  as 
there  is  here.  "  But  all  these  worketh  that 
one  and  the  self-same  Spirit,  dividing  to 
every  man  severally  as  He  will."  (Gar- 
rett's Scripture  Symbolism.) 

And  when  we  look  upon  the  candlestick, 
with  its  seven-fold  light,  we  see  beautifully 


THE    CANDLESTICK.  173 

illustrated,  the  perfection  of  divine  revela- 
tion as  exhibited  in  the  Spirit's  work  on  the 
hearts  and  in  the  lives  of  God's  people. 

The  necessity  of  divine  revelation;  the 
benefits  of  divine  revelation  ;  and  the  ijerfec- 
tion  of  divine  revelation;  these  are  the  lessons 
taught  us  by  the  golden  candlestick. 

In  conclusion,  what  cause  for  thanJcfidnesa 
this  subject  suggests  that  our  connection  is 
not  with  the  candlestick  as  it  ivas  a  shadow, 
but  tvith  the  substance  tuhich  that  shadow 
represents  I  The  golden  candlestick,  in  the 
Jewish  Church,  was  a  great  blessing  to 
those  who  lived  under  that  dispensation ; 
but  ah !  that  was  as  nothing  compared  to 
the  light  which  we  enjoy,  as  it  shines  from 
the  seven  golden  candlesticks  of  the  Chris- 
tian Church,  in  the  midst  of  wdiich  the  glori- 
ous Saviour  walks  continually !  The  light 
of  the  Jewish  candlestick  was  a  local  light. 
It  was  confined  to  a  single  spot.     It  shone 

15* 


174  THE    CANDLESTICK. 

'witMn  the  precincts  of  the  tabernacle,  but 
it  shone  no  where  else.  Those  who  desired 
to  avail  themselves  of  its  benefits  must; 
journey  up  thither ;  but  when  they  returned 
home  they  must  leave  that  light  behind 
them.  It  could  not  shine  upon  them  in 
their  own  dwellings.  Earth's  weary  pil- 
grims, in  other  lands,  groping  their  way  in 
darkness  through  this  fallen  world,  could  not 
be  cheered,  or  comforted  by  that  light. 
But  the  light  of  the  Christian  candlestick 
is  not  local.  It  is  "  a  light  to  lighten  the 
Gentiles,"  while  yet  the  glory  of  God's 
people,  Israel. 

"The  beams  that  shine  from  Zion's  hill 
Shall  lighten  everij  land." 

It  is  light  from  the  Sun  of  Eighteousness. 
This  sun  will  rise  higher  and  higher  till  the 
whole  earth  shall  be  bathed  in  the  radiance 
of  His  glory.     And  yet  while  capable  of 


THE     CANDLESTICK.  175 

this  universal  diffusion,  it  has  the  power 
of  penetrating  and  pervading  the  minds  of 
all  God's  people ;  so  that  they  can  apply  to 
themselves  the  language  of  the  apostle  and 
say,  that  "  God,  who  commanded  the  light 
out  of  darkness  hath  sinned  in  our  Jiea7^ts  to 
give  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory 
of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ." 

The  light  of  the  Jewish  candlestick  was 
stationary.  What  it  was  on  the  first  day 
on  which  its  lamps  were  lighted,  that  it  was 
the  next  day,  and  so  on  during  all  the  days 
of  its  continuance.  Its  radiance  might  reach 
a  certain  point,  but  it  never  could  exceed  it. 
It  was  not  capable  of  increase.  But  it  is 
very  different  with  the  light  of  the  Christian 
candlestick.  This  is  not  stationary,  but 
progressive.  No  limit  can  be  fixed  to  the 
brightness  of  its  shining.  In  breadth  of 
circle,  in  fulness  of  volume,  in  clearness  of 
ray,  there  is  room  for  unceasing  increase. 


176  THE    CANDLESTICK. 

Through  all  the  years  of  time,  through  all 
the  ages  of  eternity,  it  will  be  a  growing 
light,  "shining  more  and  more  unto  the 
perfect  day." 

The  light  of  the  Jewish  candlestick  was 
a  iemporarij  light.  It  was  liable,  at  any 
time,  to  be  extinguished,  and  was  finally 
put  out.  Not  so  with  the  light  of  the 
Christian  candlestick.  This  is  an  abiding, 
inextinguishable,  everlasting  light.  All  the 
efforts  and  malice  of  wicked  men  and  wicked 
spirits,  singly  or  combined,  can  no  more  ex- 
tinguish this  light  in  a  single  soul,  where  it 
has  been  once  kindled  by  the  omnipotence 
of  sovereign  grace,  than  they  can  stop  the 
stars  from  shining,  or  pluck  the  sun  from  its 
orbit.  0,  have  we  not  a  glorious  substance 
in  this  light  ?  and  is  it  not  cause  for  thank- 
fulness to  be  connected  with  this,  rather  than 
the  shadowy  shining  of  the  former  dispensa- 
tion? 


THE   CANDLESTICK.  177 

Further,  the  subject  lefore  us  is  very  in- 
structive in  the  suggestions  it  furnishes  as  to 
the  practical  character  God's  people  should 
hear.  We  see  this  in  the  beautiful  tracery 
of  the  candlestick.  It  was  covered,  all 
over,  with  golden  flowers,  and  golden  fruit. 
This  intimated  that  God's  people  were  to  be 
a  flower-decJced,  fruit-hearing  people.  They 
are  distinguished  by  the  beautifying  graces 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  fitly  represented  by 
flowers,  and  by  the  substantial /nr^V^  of  holy 
living.  And  it  is  interesting  to  see  how 
God  caused  to  be  inwrought  upon  the  golden 
candlestick,  of  that  shadowy  dispensation,  a 
symbol  clearly  expressive  of  this  idea.  If 
any  are  inclined  to  think  this  a  fanciful  con- 
struction, let  me  quote  here  the  remarks  of 
President  Edwards,  one  of  the  ablest  theo 
logians  the  Church  ever  knew.  His  gigantio 
mind  was  not  likely  to  be  misled  by  fan 
pies.      "  The  Candlestick,"  says  he,  ''  was 

13 


178  THE    CxVNDLESTICK. 

like  a  tree  of  many  branches,  and  bearing 
flowers  and  fruit,  agreeably  to  the  very  fre- 
quent representations  of  the  Church,  by  a 
tree,  a  vine,  a  grain  of  mustard-seed.  la 
this  candlestick  every  flower  is  attended 
with  a  knop,  an  apple,  or  pomegranate,  repre- 
senting a  good  profession  attended  with  a 
corresponding  fruit  in  God's  people.  Here 
were  rows  of  knops  and  flowers  one  after 
another,  beautifully  representing  the  pro- 
gress of  Christians  in  religious  attainments, 
their  going  from  strength  to  strength.  Such 
is  the  nature  of  true  grace,  that  it  bears 
flowers  that  promise  a  further  degree  of  fruit, 
the  flowers  having  in  them  the  principle  of 
new  fruit,  and  by  this  progress  in  holiness 
believers  come  to  shine  as  lights  in  the 
world." 

And  then  observe  that  the  tracery  on  the 
branches  of  the  candlestick  is  precisely  the 
same  as  that  upon  the  central  shaft.     This 


THE    CANDLESTICK.  179 

shaft,  we  'iiave  seen,  represents  Christ.  The 
branches  represent  his  people.  Would  you 
know  if  you  are  a  true  branch  of  the  spirit- 
ual  candlestick  ?  Look  if  you  can  find  in 
your  heart  and  life,  the  same  beautiful  tra- 
cery of  the  Spirit's  work  which  appeared  in 
the  heart  and  life  of  Jesus.  The  same 
flowers  of  spiritual  loveliness,  the  same  fruits 
of  practical  holiness,  in  kind,  though  not  in 
degree,  is  the  only  satisfactory  proof  of 
discipleship.  To  be  a  Christian  is  to  be  like 
Jesus.  He  left  us  an  example  that  we 
should  follow  his  steps.  Let  all  our  hearts 
go  out  in  the  earnest  prayer, 

"  Thy  fair  example  may  we  trace, 

To  teach  us  what  we  ought  to  be ; 
Make  us,  by  thy  transforming  grace, 
O  Savior,  daily  more  like  Thee  !'* 

Beloved  hearers,  who  are  not  Christians, 
you  walk  in  darkness.  Yes,  darkness  is 
within  you — darkness  is  around  you.     The 


180  THE   CANDLESTICK. 

shadow  cf  death  has  settled  down  upon  yon. 
0  come  out  from  this  shadow.  The  true 
light  is  now  shining  from  the  cross  of  Christ. 

"0  look  to  Jesus,  and  you'll  find 
In  Him  your  Star,  your  Sun, 
And  in  that  light  of  life  you'll  walk 
Till  travelling  days  are  done." 

I  love  to  linger  in  the  rays  of  this  glorious 
Light  of  the  world.  Let  me  close,  however, 
with  quoting  the  beautiful  hues  of  one  who 
thus  points  us  away  from  the  shadows  of 
the  past  dispensation  to  the  substance  of  the 
present : 

"The  last  star  has  set,  and  the  Sun  in  his  splendor 
From  the  chambers  of  day  in  his  majesty  springs  ! 
And  a  gold-dropping  glory,  by  mercy  made  tender, 
Distils  on  the  faint,  from  His  far-spreading  wings 

He  comes  in  his  grace,  and  he  comes  in  his  beauty 
To  brighten  man's  darkest,  and  drear'est  abode, 

To  shine  on  the  fields  and  the  deserts  of  duty, — 
To  light  up  the  pathway  that  leads  us  to  God. 


THE    CANDLESTICK.  181 

Behold  !  how  his  rays  on  the  mountains  are  sparkling 

The  shadows  of  midnight  are  lost  to  our  view. 
Shout,    nations !    no    more   shall    you  wander    all 
darkling 
For  the  '  Light  of  the  world"  beameth  brightly 
on  you. 

He  will  light  you  through   toil,  he  will  light  you 
through  sorrow  ; 
He  will  beam  on  your  journey,  and  smile  on  your 
grave ; 
lie  will  wake  up  youi  souls  to  an  unsetting  morrow  ; 
For  the  'Light  o    the  \iorld  is  all-powerful  to 
saver 


CHAPTER    V. 


*'CIj(Jtt  skit  hIso  miahe  n  table  of  sljittim-fooob :  fbo  tumti 
sljallbctlje  kugtij  iljcrcof,  aiib  a  cubit  tljebreabtl)  tljcuof, 
Hub  a  cubit  aub  a  Ijnlf  tljc  l^dgl^t  tl^crrof.  §iub  tl^ou 
£il)n(t  obfrlnij  it  foitlj  pure  cjolb,  aub  iiiahc  f Ijercto  a  crofoit 
of  golb  rounb  about.  g.ub  tl^ou  slplt  mnlie  uuto  it  a 
boiber  of  ail  |)aub  brcabiij  rcuiib  about,  aub  tljou  sl^alt 
make  a  golbcn  crofou  to  tlje  borbcr  il^crcof  rouub  about. 
g.ub  fl^ou  sbnlt  mnlic  for  it  four  riugs  of  golb,  aub  put 
fl)c  rings  iit  lljc  four  contcus  tl^at  arc  ou  lljc  four  feet 
fljcrcof.  &bn  against  tlje  borbcr  sljall  tijc  riitgs  be  for 
plates  of  fbc  stabrs  to  bear  tbe  table,  '  giub  fi)ou  sl)alt 
make  tijc  stabes  of  sHyiltim-fooob,  aub  oberlau  tbcm  bitlj 
golb,  tljat  tlje  table  maii  be  boruc  bitb  t|)cm.  '^ixb  tljou 
gl^alt  mahe  lljc  bisljcs  tljcrcof,  aub  spoous  tljereof,  aub 
cobers  tljereof,  nub  bobls  tljereof,  to  cobcr  foitljal:  of 
|iitrc  golb  sl^alt  tljou  malic  tl^cm.  g.nb  tbou  sl^nlt  Bd 
itpou  lljc  table  sljcb-brcab  before  me  nlbau  ' — Exo- 
dus, XXV.  23—30. 


V. 


We  imagine  ourselves  to  be  standing  just 
within  the  vail  which  hangs  down  over  the 
eastern  end  of  the  Tabernacle.  We  have 
crossed  the  threshold  of  the  Holy  Place. 
The  golden  candlestick^  which  we  last  con- 
sidered, is  shedding  its  hallowed  light  on  all 
around  us.  Over  against  this  candlestick, 
stands  the  table  of  Shew-bread.  This  is  the 
next  article  in  the  furniture  of  the  taber- 
nacle that  we  are  to  consider.  It  is  so  full 
of  instruction,  so  replete  with  lessons  of 
practical  interest,  that,  without  any  prefa- 
tory remarks,  we  proceed,  at  once,  to  notice 
the  structure  of  this  table,  and  the  important 
truths  it  illustrates  for  our  edification* 


186       THE   TABLE    OF    SHEW-EEEAD. 

Look  now  at  the  form  and  structure  of  this 
table.  Like  the  ark  itself,  it  Yv\as  composed 
of  acacia  wood  overlaid  with  pure  gold.  It 
was  a  plain,  simple  table,  without  any  of  the 
ornamental  work,  or  'I'urious  tracery,  with 
which  the  candlestick  was  covered  all  over. 
There  was  a  border  of  a  hand's  breadth  sur- 
rounding it.  This  was  designed,  it  is  sup- 
posed, for  the  golden  vessels  connected  with 
the  table  to  stand  upon.  There  was  also  a 
rim,  or  crov/n  of  gold,  inside  of  this  border, 
intended,  no  doubt,  to  keep  the  loaves  in 
their  places,  and  prevent  their  being  dis- 
turbed, in  tlie  constant  journeyings  of  the 
people  through  the  wilderness. 

In  its  dimensions  this  table  was  three  feet 
in  length,  eighteen  inches  in  breadth,  and 
twenty-seven  inches  in  height.  There  were 
rings,  at  the  corners,  beneath  the  border, 
through  which  the  staves  were  put  for  carry- 
ing  it. 


THE  TABLE  OF  SHEW  BREAD. 
Jewish  Tabernacle. 


p.  186. 


THE   TABLE   OF    SIIEW-BREAD.       187 

On  this  table  were  placed  loaves  of  bread. 
These  loaves  were  unleavened  bread,  made 
out  of  fine  flour.  In  number  these  loaves 
were  twelve,  corresponding  to  the  different 
tribes  of  Israel.  Thej  were  placed  in  two 
parallel  rows,  not  piled  up  on  each  other,  as 
you  sometimes  see  them  represented,  but 
ranging  horizontally,  the  length  of  the  table. 
The  loaves  were  renewed  every  Sabbath,  so 
as  to  be  always  fresh.  When  placed  upon 
the  table  the  surface  of  the  loaves  was  cov- 
ered over  with  a  layer  of  powdered  frankin- 
cense. This  was  a  pure  white  powder  which 
would  give  to  the  loaves  an  appearance 
somewhat  resembling  the  frosted  cakes  of 
modern  confectioners.  When  the  old  loaves 
were  removed  this  powdered  frankincense 
was  gathered  into  one  of  the  golden  dishes 
cannected  with  the  table,  and  burned  before 
the  Lord  "as  an  offering  made  by  fire." 
The  loaveS;  when  taken  from  the  table,  wero 


188      IHE   TABLE   OF   SEEW-BEEAD. 

reserved  for  the  use  of  Aaron  and  liis  sons. 
"It  was  not  lawful  for  any  to  eat  of  them 
but  the  priests  only."     Luke  vi.  4. 

These  are  all  the  particulars  furnished  us 
by  the  sacred  writers  respecting  the  table  of 
shew-bread.  No  explanation  is  given,  in 
the  scripture  narrative,  of  the  meaning  of 
this  part  of  the  furniture  of  the  tabernacle. 
In  attempting  to  point  out  this  meaning,  it 
does  not  become  us  to  dogmatize,  or  deal  in 
positive  assertion.  It  rather  becomes  us  to 
tread  reverently  here,  as  Moses  did  at  the 
burning  bush,  when  he  "  put  off  the  shoes 
from  his  feet,  because  the  ground  on  which 
he  stood  was  holy  ground."  We  are  not 
at  liberty,  out  of  a  type,  or  figure,  to  weave 
an  argument  by  which  to  set  forth  a  truth 
not  elsewhere  clearly  taught  in  scripture. 
The  only  legitimate  use  to  make  of  the  types 
and  figures  of  the  Old  Testament,  is  to  set 
them  forth  as  illustrations  of  truths  revealed 


THE    TABLE    OF    SHEW-BREAD.       189 

in  oilier  parts  of  the  volume  of  revelation. 
There  is  no  difficulty  whatever  in  attempt- 
ing to  make  such  a  use  of  the  Table  of  Shew- 
bread.  It  affords  us  beautiful  illustrations 
:f  God's  precious  truth,  as  we  find  the  same 
revealed  in  the  pages  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment. Let  us  proceed  now  to  consider  the 
lessons  which  it  teaches. 

A7id  the  first  lesson  we  learn  here  is  taught 

us  ly  THE  NATURE  OF  THE  BREAD  UPON  THE 
TABLE. 

This  we  know,  on  the  very  best  authority, 
was  a  symbol  of  Christ.  Jesus  taught  us  this 
distinctly  and  clearly  when  He  said,  "  I  am 
the  bread  of  life."  That  bread  upon  the 
table  points  to  Jesus.  How  apt  a  type,  or 
emblem  of  Him,  it  was  !  The  hread  was  a 
prepared  substance.  It  was  not  a  natural 
growth.  Forethought  and  design  were  em- 
ployed in  the  production  of  it.  And  so  it 
was  with  Christ.    His  mysterious  being  was 


190      THE   TABLE    OF    SHEW-BREAD. 

not  a  thing  of  natural  growth.  It  was  the 
result  of  God's  infinite  wisdom, — the  product 
of  His  everlasting  purpose,  or  plan.  Hence 
said  Jesus,  anticipating  His  incarnation,  and 
contemplating  Himself,  from  this  very  point 
of  view, — "A  body  hast  Thou  prejpared 
me." 

But  that  bread  was  a  compound  substance, 
and  in  this  aspect  of  it,  how  significantly  it 
pointed  to  Christ.  The  flour  alone  could 
never  have  been  formed  into  those  loaves 
which  stood  upon  the  golden  table  in  the 
tabernacle.  Another  element  was  necessary. 
Water  must  be  mingled  and  blended  with 
the  flour,  and  then  it  must  be  exposed  to  the 
action  of  fire,  or  it  never  could  have  been 
made  into  bread.  And  it  was  just  so  with 
Christ.  He  had  been  a  partaker  of  the  di- 
vine nature  from  eternity.  But  this,  of  itself, 
would  never  have  qualified  Him  to  be  our 
Ptedeemer.     One  nature,  alone,  could    not 


THE    TABLE    OF   SHEW-BTvEAD.       191 

have  enabled  Him  to  become  '^  the  bread  of 
life"  to  a  famishing  world.  If  possessed 
onit/  of  the  divine  nature,  or  only  of  the 
human  nature,  He  never  could  have  met  the 
necessities  of  our  case.  He  must  be  a 
compound  being  to  do  this.  And  so  He  took 
our  nature  upon  Him,  and  then  passed 
through  the  fire  of  suffering  that  He  might 
be  a  perfect  Saviour.  He  blended  the 
humanity  with  the  diviniiy.  And  thus  he 
was  enabled  to  say  of  Himself — ^^  I  am  the 
bread  that  came  down  from  heaven." 

That  bread,  upon  the  table,  was  a  necessarij 
substance.  Without  it  the  Jewish  priest 
would  have  had  no  strength  for  the  per- 
formance of  his  sacred  functions,  and  no 
enjoyment  in  any  of  the  privileges  of  the 
sanctuary.  His  feeble  frame  would  have 
fainted  and  failed,  but  for  the  support  which 
this  afforded  him.  And  just  so  necessary 
Jesus  is  to  the  life  and  comfort  of  His  people. 


192       THE   TABLE   OF   SHEW-BREAD. 

He  could  say,  autliaritatively,  to  the  Jews 
when  on  earth,  and  the  sayhig  is  as  true 
now  as  it  was  then,  "Except  ye  eat  the 
flesh  of  the  Son  of  Man,  and  drink  His  blood, 
ye  have  no  life  in  you."  It  is  not  only  a 
'pleasant  thing,  a  desirable  thing,  an  imjjortant 
thing  for  our  souls  to  eat  of  this  bread — but 
in  the  strongest  and  most  absolute  sense,  i' 
is  a  necessary  thing. 

And  then  the  bread  upon  that  table  was 
as  suitable  as  it  was  necessary.  I\  was 
wonderfully  adapted  to  meet  all  the  physical 
wants  of  the  priest  who  partook  of  it.  It 
adapted  itself  entirely  to  all  the  cravings  of 
his  feeble  frame.  It  furnished  the  whole  of 
his  complex  system  with  the  nourishment  it 
required.  As  he  partook  of  it  he  felt  life 
and  vigor  pervade  every  part  of  his  body. 
And  just  what  bread  is  to  the  body,  in  this 
respect,  Christ  is  to  the  soul.  His  people 
live  on  Him.     They  have  an  appropriating 


THE    TABLE    OF    SHE  iV -BIlExVD  .       193 

principle,  a  power  of  assimilation  that  ap- 
plies to  every  aspect  and  particle  of  "  the 
truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus."  It  is  quickening 
truth,  sustaining  truth,  enlightening  truth, 
comforting,  sanctifying,  and  saving  truth. 

And  then,  moreover,  that  bread  upon  the 
golden  table  was  unleavened  bread.  Leaven 
in  Scripture  was  the  symbol  of  error,  or  cor- 
ruption. Hence  we  find  St.  Paul  speaking 
of  "  the  leaven  of  malice  and  wickedness." 
Satan  has  been  allowed  to  enter  the  Church, 
in  its  outward  organization,  and  to  spread 
the  leaven  of  error  and  corruption  through 
all  its  departments.  But  he  has  never  been 
allowed  to  touch  the  bread  of  the  Christian 
tabernacle.  This  has  always  remained, — 
what  the  Jewish  type,  or  figure  of  it  was, — 
unleavened  bread.  Jesus,  whom  that  bread 
represented,  has  continued  unchanged  from 
the  beginning.  The  testimony  of  Scripture 
concerning  Him  is,  that  He  is   "the  same 


194       THE    TABLE    OF    SHEW^  BREAD. 

yesterday,  to-day,  and  forever."  "  In  Iliin 
is  no  darkness  at  all/'  He  is  truth  without 
any  admixture  of  error.  He  is  purity  with- 
out the  slightest  taint  of  corruption. 

But,  though  without  leayen  in  Illmseify 
He  may  be  received,  and  held,  in  a  way  that 
will  make  Ilim,  to  its,  as  though  He  w^ere 
bread  that  is  leavened.  This  w^ill  always  be 
the  case  when  He  is  not  received,  and  held, 
in  the  simplicity  and  completeness  of  His 
covenant  relation  to  His  people.  ''  Christ  is 
the  substance  of  all  true  doctrine  j  all  doctrine 
in  which  anything  else  is  mixed  up  with 
Christ  as  the  ground  of  dependence  is  false. 
Any  view  of  the  gospel  which  makes  Christ 
t«?z<^ natural  goodness, — Christ  and goo^  works, 
'  -Christ  and  the  sacraments, — Christ  and  in- 
ward experience, — ^Christ  «?2(i  any  thing  else, 
the  ground  of  a  sinner's  liope  of  acceptance 
with  God  is  a  false  vdew  of  it/'  This  is 
attempting  to  leaven  the  bread  of  the  Sane- 


THE    TABLE    OF    SHE  W-BRE aD  .       195 

tuaiy.  Christ  must  be  everything  to  His 
people,  or  He  will  be  nothing  to  them.  And 
thus,  from  the  nature  of  the  bread  upon  the 
golden  table  we  get  our  first  lesson. 

Our  second  lesson  is  furnished  hy  ohserving 

THE  WAY  IN  WHICH  THIS  BREAD  WAS  MANIFESTED. 

Two  things  were  required  to  this  end,  viz., 
the  light  which  shone  from  the  golden  can- 
dlestick, and  the  table  to  lift  up,  or  elevate 
the  bread  so  that  it  could  be  distinctly  seen. 
If  the  candlestick  were  not  lighted,  and  cast- 
ing forth  its  illuminating  beams,  the  bread 
might  be  upon  the  table,  but  darkness  would 
envelope  it.  The  officiating  priest  could 
never  see  it.  And  so  it  is  only  the  light 
of  revelation,  the  illuminating  influence 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  wliich  can  make  mani- 
fest Christ,  the  true  bread  from  heaven, 
to  the  souls  of  famishing  sinners.  But 
this    thought    was    so   fully    developed    in 


196       THE    TABLE    OF    SHEW-BREAD. 

our  last  discourse  that  we  need  not  enlarge 
upon  it  here. 

Yet,  even  when  the  candlestick  was 
lighted,  and  shedding  its  mild  radiance 
through  the  Holy  Place,  the  services  of  the 
table  were  needed  for  the  shewing,  or  making 
manifest  of  the  bread.  And  hence  the  name 
applied  to  it, — "the  table  of  slietv-hresid.'' 
The  design  of  this  table  was  plain  and  sim- 
ple. It  had  but  one  office  to  fulfill.  It  had 
its  being,  and  its  place,  in  the  Sanctuary,  for 
the  single  purpose  of  lifting-up,  exhibiting, 
making  manifest,  or  setting  forth,  the  bread 
which  was  placed  upon  it.  And  here  the 
question  naturally  arises,  of  what  is  this 
table  itself  a  figure  or  type  ?  What  does 
it  represent  in  the  Christian  Church  ?  But, 
in  order  to  answer  this  question  satisfac- 
toril}^,  it  is  necessary  to  ask  another.  What 
is  there  in  the  Christian  Church,  which  ac- 
complishes an  object  analogous  to  that  sub* 


THE   TABLE   OF    SHEW-BREAD.       197 

served  by  this  table  in  the  Jewish  tabernacle  ? 
The  one  design  of  the  golden  table,  we  have 
seen,  was  to  lift  up  the  hallowed  bread,  and 
present  it  to  view,  continually.  But  this 
bread  represented  Christ.  And  in  the  Chris- 
tian Church,  we  know,  the  agency  appointed 
of  God  for  exhibiting,  holding  forth,  or 
making  Christ  manifest  to  perishing  men  is 
the  office  of  the  ministry.  And  thus  we 
seem  authorized,  nay,  compelled  to  regard 
the  golden  table,  which  held  the  shew-bread, 
in  the  tabernacle,  as  beautifully  represent- 
ing to  us,  in  symbol,  the  design,  or  i^urpose 
of  the  Christian  ministry. 

Now  this  view  of  the  matter  furnishes  us 
with  some  striking  and  valuable  suggestions. 
Observe  this  table  was  a  golden  table.  This 
denoted  its  value.  It  was  thus  like  the 
candlestick,  whose  majestic  shaft,  with  its 
beautiful  tracery  of  the  same  precious  metal, 
represented  Christ.     So,  the  minister  of  the 


198       THE    TABLE    OF    SIIEW-BREAD. 

gospel,  to  be  able  to  execute  his  office  rightly, 
must,  by  the  power  of  transforming  grace, 
be  made  like  unto  the  Son  of  God.  To  be 
a  true  minister,  he  must  be  conformed  to 
the  image  of  Christ  by  being  "  created  anew 
in  Christ  Jesus."  As  the  wood  of  the  table 
was  overlaid  with  pure  gold,  to  fit  it  for  the 
position  it  was  to  occupy  in  the  tabernacle, 
so  the  corrupt  nature  of  the  minister  of  the 
gospel  must  be  covered  over  with  that  fine 
gold  of  the  Sanctuary,  the  converting,  sanc- 
tifying grace  of  God,  before  he  can  be  made, 
in  this  respect,  "a  vessel  sanctified  and 
meet  for  the  Master's  service." 

Again,  the  ^9z/r^  gold  which  overspread 
this  table  denoted  the  lionor  and  dignity  of 
the  service  in  ivliich  it  zvas  to  he  employed. 
Its  place  was  in  the  Sanctuary.  Like  Ga- 
briel its  high  privilege  was  "  to  stand  in  the 
presence  of  God."  The  bread  spread  out 
upon  it  was  called  "  the  bread  of  the  pres- 


THE   TABLE    OF    SIIEVf -BEE  AD  .       199 

ence,'''  because  it  was  presented  conliD'ially 
before  the  face  of  the  Most  High.  And  so 
the  honor,  or  dignity  of  the  office  of  the 
ministry,  lies  in  this,  that  all  its  duties  and 
services  connect  themselves,  directly,  with 
God.  The  minister  is  God's  herald,  or  am- 
bassador. He  is  the  servant  of  Jesus  Christ. 
He  hears  the  word  at  His  mouth,  and  warns 
men  from  Him.  It  was  in  this  view  of  the 
trust  committed  to  him,  that  Paul  rejoiced 
in  his  portion,  and  "  magnified  his  office." 

But  notice  the  dmplicity  and  plainness  of 
this  table.  What  a  contrast  it  presented, 
in  this  respect,  to  the  candlestick,  which 
stood  over  against  it !  That  was  covered 
all  over  with  its  curious  wreathen  work,  its 
golden,  glorious  tracery  of  buds,  and  flow- 
ers, and  fruit;  while  this  was  required  to 
be  without  embellishment  or  ornament  of 
any  kind.  Nor  can  we  wonder  at  this. 
The  candlestick  represented  Christ,  in  tho 


200      THE   TABLE    OF    SHEW-BTvEAD. 

glory  of  His  own  infinite  fulness  and  salli- 
eiency.  It  is  right  and  proper  that  He 
should  attract  to  Himself  the  admiring  gaze 
of  all  His  people.  Hence  the  elaborate 
"work  upon  the  candlestick.  But  the  tahle 
was  only  a  subordinate  agency,  employed 
to  exhibit  the  shew-bread.  It  was  not 
the  purpose  of  God  that  it  should  attract 
attention  to  itself.  Hence  plainness  and 
simplicity  marked  it.  All  its  significance, 
and  all  its  importance,  lay  in  the  hallowed 
burden  which  it  bore, — the  consecrated 
bread  which  it  held  up  to  the  gaze  of  all 
who  entered  the  Holy  Place. 

In  every  rightly  constructed  sentence 
there  is  some  one  word  which  brings  out 
the  meaning  of  the  passage.  A  skilful 
elocutionist  will  throw  all  his  emphasis  into 
that  word.  He  will  do  this,  partly,  by  the 
increased  sh^ess  laid  upon  that  Y\'ord,  and 
partly,  by  keeping  down,  and  making  ub- 


THE    TABLE   OF    SHEW-BREAD.       201 

emphatic  the  other  words  in  the  sentence. 
God  built  the  tabernacle  on  this  principle. 
Take  the  portion  of  it  now  before  ns,  as  an 
illustration.  The  table  of  shew-bread  is  a 
symbolical  sentence^  rightly  constructed. 
The  one  word  which  brings  out  the  meaning 
of  this  sentence  is  the  Iread,  God  made 
this  word  emphatic,  by  the  stress  laid  upon 
it,  the  prominence  assigned  it.  At  the  same 
time  he  added  vastly  to  the  force  of  that 
emphasis  by  keeping  down  the  other  parts 
of  the  sentence,  i.  e.,  by  the  utter  plainness 
of  the  table  itself.  What  a  lesson  this 
teaches  to  the  ministers  of  the  gospel !  How 
significantly  it  enjoins  them,  to  "j)reach 
not  themselves^  but  Christ  Jesus,  the  Lord." 
If  the  gospel  be  compressed  into  a  single 
sentence,  the  emphatic  words  connected 
with  it  will  be — Jesus  Christ  and  Him  onici-* 
fied.  Whatever  the  gifts,  or  attainments  of 
a  minister  be,  they  should  all  be  employed, 


202       THE    TABLE    OF    SHEW-BREAD. 

"first,  last,  midst,  and  without  end"  in 
giving  emphasis  to  these  words.  lie  should 
give  them  all  the  prominence,  and  lay  upoa 
them  all  the  stress  in  his  power.  And  in 
aiming  to  do  this,  he  should  keep  down 
everything  else,  and  esjjeciall?/  Jceep  doim 
himself.  What  the  bread  was  to  the  table, 
that  Christ  should  be  to  the  minister.  The 
minister  is  nothing.  Christ  is  everything. 
The  object  of  the  ministry  is  to  hold  up 
Christ,  and  make  Him  known.  The  mean- 
ing, the  dignity,  the  power,  the  worth  of  the 
ministrj^,  depend  on  the  clearness  and  faith- 
fulness with  which  it  exhibits  Christ  to 
men.  And  this  lesson  we  are  taught  when 
we  see  the  golden  table,  in  its  plainness^  and 
utter  absence  of  ornament,  as  it  were,  hiding 
itself  beneath  the  glorious  symbol  of  Christ, 
the  hallowed  bread  which  it  ever  presented 
to  view. 

Yie  look  at  this  table  again,  and  the  third 


THE     TABLE     OF     SIIEAV-BRE  AD .       203 

lesson  it  teacJies  us  is  suggested  hj  the  abun- 
dance OF  THE  SUPPLY  placed  upon  it. 

The  table  bore  tivelve  loaves.  There  was 
one  for  each  of  the  tribes.  No  part  of  God's 
family  was  overlooked,  or  neglected,  in  the 
symbolical  provision  thus  made  for  their  ne- 
cessities. And  what  was  true,  in  this 
respect,  of  the  symbol,  is  equally  true  of 
the  thing  symbolised.  When  the  prodigal 
son  came  to  himself,  amidst  the  want  and 
desolation  that  stared  him  in  the  face, 
he  said  :  "  In  my  Father's  house  is  bread 
enough,  and  to  spare."  And  every  famish- 
ing soul  may  see  this,  in  returning  to  God 
through  penitence  and  faith  in  Christ.  In 
the  broadest  and  fullest  sense,  it  is  true, 
spiritually  considered,  that  "  in  our  Father's 
house  there  is  bread  enough,  and  to  spare.' 

Jesus,  whom  the  bread  upon  the  golden 
table  represented,  is  an  infinite  Savior.  The 
resources  of  His  sufficiency  are  exhaustless. 


204  THE    TABLE    OF    SHEW-BKEAD. 

Look  at  yonder  son.  How  striking  an  em- 
blem, or  representative  he  is  of  Christ  in 
this  respect !  See,  how  like  a  god,  he 
pours  forth  unceasingly  his  beams  of  light ! 
For  six  thousand  years  he  has  been  doing 
this,  without  a  moment's  intercession.  No 
power  of  human  or  angelic  arithmetic  can 
calculate  the  number  of  his  rays.  And  yet, 
so  far  from  being  exhausted,  he  is  just  as  full 
of  power  to  shine,  and  bless,  a  benighted 
universe  now  as  in  the  day  of  his  creation. 
And  so  it  is  with  Christ.  Infinity  pertains 
to  every  view  we  can  take  of  his  character, 
and  every  relation  he  sustains  to  his  people. 
His  love,  his  wisdom,  his  j)ower,  his  grace 
his  goodness  are  all  infinite.  And  infinite 
too  is  the  atoning  efQcacy  of  His  sacrifice. 
It  is  derogatory  to  His  character  that  we 
should  apply  measures  and  guages  to  the 
infinitude  of  His  fulness..  There  is  no  limit 
to  the  worth  and  efficacy  of  His  great  sacri- 


THE    TABLE     OF    SHEW-BREAD        205 

fice.  And  there  is  no  limit  either  to  the 
stores  of  Ilis  sufficiency^  when  considered  as 
the  bread  of  life  to  His  people.  The  twelve 
loaves  upon  the  golden  table  of  the  taberna 
cle  w^ere  indeed  a  definite  number,  but  they 
were  designed  to  represent  that  which  is 
indefinite. 

"  Christ,  the  true  bread,"  says  an  English 
writer,  "  is  sufficient  for  the  wants  of  all. 
His  sacrifice  was  made  for  all  the  tribes  of 
earth,  and  for  each  individual  of  every  tribe. 
The  everlasting  purpose  was — '  that  he,  by 
the  grace  of  God  should  taste  death  for  evei^i/ 
man.'  Heb.  ii.  9.  His  love  and  His  re- 
demption were  alike  without  limit.  He 
'  willeth  all  men  to  be  saved,'  and  therefore 
'  he  gave  himself  a  ransom  for  all.'  1  Tim. 
ii.  6.  Those  strangely  mistake  the  matter, 
who  would  shut  up  the  mercy  of  our  God, 
as  willing  to  save,  within  the  narrow  limits 
into  which  man's  perverseness  in  refusing  to 


20G      THE    TABLE     OF     SHE W-BIiEAD. 

be  saved  has  drawn  it,  and  connt  the  SaviouA 
blood  a  ransom  enough  for  the  few  who  are 
saved,  but  too  small  for  the  multitudes  who 
perish.  This  is  not  tc  exalt  the  grace  of 
God,  but  to  debase  it.  Is  this  the  way  of 
God's  dealings  ?  Does  lie  not  clothe  with 
grass  and  with  flowers  vast  tracts  which  no 
eye  ever  rests  upon  ?  Does  lie  not  scatter 
the  fruits  of  the  earth,  in  endless  profusion, 
even  where  there  are  none  to  enjoy  them  ? 
Does  He  not  shower  down  His  rain  on  the 
desert?  and  His  sunbeams  on  the  deep? 
And  is  it  likely,  is  it  possible,  that  God, 
who  is  so  liberal,  so  lavish  as  the  God  of 
creation,  should  shut  up  his  hand,  and  con- 
tract his  bounty,  as  the  God  of  grace  ?  that 
when  drawing  forth  out  of  the  depths  of 
His  Infinite  love,  a  plan  for  the  redemption" 
of  ruined  man,  and  so  bent  upon  it,  as  not 
to  spare  His  own  dear  Son,  but  to  give  Him 
up  for  the  purpose — is  it  possible  that  He 


THE    TABLE    OF    FHEW-BREAD.       207 

should  calculate  and  weigh  out,  and  adjust 
with  scrupulous  accuracy  the  worth  of  the 
blood  of  Jesus,  so  that  it  should  just  be,  to 
a  fraction,  a  commercial  equivalent  for  the 
sins  of  His  elect  people,  but  neither  more, 
nor  less  ?  Xo.  "  He  died  for  all."  2  Cor. 
V.  15.  As  quaint  old  Henry  Wotton  ex- 
presses it : — 

"  One  rosy  drop  from  David's  seed 
"Was  "vs'orlds  of  seas  to  quencli  God's  ire." 

In  our  Father's  house,  there  is  "  bread 
enough,  and  to  spare."  This  lesson  is  sug- 
gested to  us  by  the  abundance  of  the  supply 
of  bread  upon  the  golden  table. 

We  hole  to  this  table  again  and  v:e  are 
taught  a  lesson  hj  the  tdie  for  the  renewing 
of  the  tread  iqjon  it. 

By  an  ordinance  of  God  this  was  always 
to  be  done  upon  the  Sabbath.  And  seeing 
that  the  renewing  of  it  was  to  be  weekly 


208      THE    TABLE    OF    SHEW-BSEAD. 

there  was  a  manifest  propriety  in  connecting 
it  with  this  hallowed  day.  Thus  God  would 
put  honor  upon  the  Sabbath,  and  associate 
it,  in  the  minds  of  His  people,  with  the 
thought  of  obtaining  the  supply  of  their 
spiritual  necessities.  One  circumstance  con- 
nected with  this  matter  may  indeed  excite 
surprise.  The  supply  of  manna  which  was 
given  to  Israel  with  unvarying  regularity  on 
every  other  day  of  the  week  was  suspended 
on  the  Sabbath,  while  the  loaves  upon  the 
table  of  shew-bread,  never  given  on  any 
other  day  of  the  week,  were  always  fur- 
nished fresh  on  this  particular  day.  The 
question  naturally  arises  luliy  was  this  ?  No 
explanation  is  given  in  the  scriptures.  We 
may  venture  a  suggestion  respecting  it. 
The  manna  took  the  place  of  the  dail}^  bread 
of  the  people,  the  supply  of  their  temporal 
wants,  ordinarily  procured  as  the  result  of 
tlieir  oivn  labor ;  it  would  seem  proper,  there- 


THE   TABLE    OF    SIIEW-BREAD.       209 

fore,  that  the  supply  of  this  should  be  in- 
terrupted on  the  day  on  which  they  were 
not  allowed  to  pursue  their  wonted  avoca 
ti)ns.  But  the  loaves  upon  the  golden  table 
represented  Christ,  the  true  bread  w^hich 
came  down  from  heaven.  This  was  not  to 
be  obtained  by  any  work  or  labor  done  by 
men.  It  was  bread  sent  down  from  heaven, 
of  God's  own  free  grace  and  goodness.  It 
was  equally  proper,  therefore,  that  the  giv- 
ing of  this  should  be  connected  with  the  day 
that  was  specially  set  apart  for  the  solemn 
w^orship  of  God.  And  thus  this  weekly  re- 
newal of  the  bread  upon  the  golden  table  on 
the  Sabbath  pointed  to  the  ministrations  of 
the  sanctuary.  These  pertain  peculiarly  to 
that  day  which  God  hallowed  to  His  own 
special  service.  And  what  is  the  design  of 
these  sacred  ministrations  but  to  supply 
God's  sanctuary  with  that  spiritual  bread 
which  the  necessities  of  His  people  require  ? 


210      THE    TABLE    OF    SHEW-BEEAD. 

And  this  is  done  eiTectually  when  Jesus  is 
clearly  and  faithfully  held  forth  to  men,  in 
the  fulness  and  freeness  of  His  great  salva- 
tion. When  His  character  is  unfolded — 
when  His  truth  is  explained — when  His  love 
is  made  known — when  His  covenant  is  laid 
open — and  the  sweetness  of  His  saving  name 
is  revealed,  then  indeed  "the  bread  which 
came  dovv^n  from  heaven  "  is  set  forth  anew 
on  the  table  of  the  Christian  sanctuary  ;  and 
those  who  tread  its  courts  possess  the  sub- 
stance, of  which  the  table  of  shew-bread  in 
the  Jewish  tabernacle  was  the  shadow. 

But  a  shadow  affords  only  an  imperfect 
representation  of  the  substance  Vv^hich  fore- 
casts it.  All  figures  fail  adequately  to  re- 
present the  fulness  of  blessing  that  we 
enjoy  in  Christ.  The  figure  before  us  fails 
in  this.  The  supply  of  bread  for  the  Jewish 
tabernacle  was  a  periodical  supjily.  It  was 
furnished  only  once  a  week.     But  it  is  not 


THE    TA.ELE    OF    SHEW-BREAD.       211 

BO  with  US.  Jesus,  our  bread  from  heaven, 
has  "  aU  seasons  for  his  own."  lie  is  set 
forth,  indeed,  most  formally,  and  fully  on  the 
Sabbath,  but  not  exclusively  then.  He  may 
be  set  forth  at  any  time.  In  season  and  out 
of  season  His  ministers  are  required  to 
''  hold  forth  the  word  of  life."  At  all  times, 
in  all  places,  and  under  all  circumstanceSj 
they  are  authorised  and  expected  to  set 
forth  on  God's  table  that  bread  of  life,  of 
which  when  any  man  eateth  he  shall  live 
forever. 

In  looJcing  once  more  at  the  golden  table  we 
learn  a  lesson  from  the  continual  freshness  of 
the  bread  set  out  upon  it. 

This  bread  as  we  have  seen  was  renewed 
every  week.  It  was  never  permitted  to 
grow  old,  so  as  to  become  stale  and  unfit  for 
use.  There  was/r^s/i  bread  upon  the  table 
from  year  to  year,  from  generation  to  gene- 
ration.    This  was  beautifully  significant  of 


212       THE    TABLE   OF    SHEW-BP.E  AB. 

-what  God's  spiritual  Israel  find  fully  realized 
in  Christ.  The  constantly  renewed  loaves,  and 
the  ever  repeated  sacrifices,  of  the  Mosaic 
dispensation,  were  practical  and  most  power- 
ful arguments  in  proof  of  the  imperfection  of 
those  services.  But  Christ,  our  bread  from 
heaven,  never  growls  old.  It  needs  no  re- 
newing. We  w^ant  no  other  food  for  the 
support  and  nourishment  of  our  souls.  We 
crave  no  change  in  Jesus.  As  lie  is  now,  as 
He  has  been  from  the  beginning,  He  is  "  all 
our  salvation  and  all  our  desire."  The  lan- 
guage of  our  hearts,  in  reference  to  Him,  is, 
"  Lord,  evermore,  give  us  this  bread."  The 
bread  furnished  in  the  Christian  sanctuary 
is  always  fresh,  always  new,  always  pleasant 
and  satisfying.  As  Israel  wandered  through 
the  wilderness  they  often  were  tired  of  the 
manna  on  which  they  fed  there.  They 
murmured  at  its  sameness.  The  language 
of  their  repining  was  :     "  Our  souls  loathe 


tills  light  bread."  But  tlie  spiritual  Israel 
have  no  such  experience.  They  are  often 
weary  of  other  things  ;  they  grow  weary  of 
themselves — weary  of  their  sins  and  sor- 
rows, and  weary  of  the  world  and  its  vani- 
ties— but  they  never,  never  grow  w^eary  of 
Jesus.  Having  once  eaten  of  the  bread 
which  He  gives,  which  He  constitutes^  it  is 
literally  true  that  they  "  never  hunger  "  for 
the  husks  the  world  can  offer.  There  is  a 
satisfying  element  in  this  bread  which  the 
soul  feels,  and  rejoices  in,  to  the  very  centre 
of  its  being.  As  believers  live  by  faith  on 
Jesus,  it  is  the  language  of  genuine  experi- 
ence to  which  they  give  utterance,  when 
they  say  of  Him ; 

"His  person  fixes  all  our  love, 

His  blood  removes  our  fear ; 
And  while  He  pleads  for  us  above, 

His  arm  preserves  us  here. 

His  word  of  promise  is  our  food, 
His  spirit  is  our  guide ; 


214       THE    TABLE    OF    SHEW-BREAD. 

Thus  daily  is  our  strength  renew'd, 
And  all  our  ivants  supplied^ 


But,  no  abstract  description  of  the  proper- 
ties of  ordinary  bread  will  give  us  a  true 
knowledge  of  it,  till  we  taste  and  partake  of 
it  ourselves,  and  so  it  is  emphatically  with 
this  heavenly  bread.  Those  who  have  never 
had  personal  experience  of  the  preciousness 
of  Christ  cannot  believe  the  report  of  Him 
which  his  people  give.  They  are  ready  to 
ask  of  Him,  as  the  friends  of  the  spouse,  in 
book  of  Canticles  asked  of  her  : — ''  What  is 
thy  beloved,  more  than  any  other  beloved  ?" 
And  if  like  the  spouse  we  answer  :  "  Our 
Beloved  is  the  chief  among  ten  thousand, 
and  altogether  lovely  " — this  will  not  carry 
conviction.  Therefore  we  say  to  the  hungry 
and  famishing, — "  0,  taste"  this  heavenly 
bread,  and  see  for  yourselves  what  its  pre- 
ciousness is!     When  you  have  done  this, 


THE   TABLE    OF    SHEW-BREAD.       215 

you  will  know  how  fresh,  how  satisfying 
this  bread  is  !  Then  each  of  you  will  be 
ready  to  say — 

"  Of  Him  who  did  salvation  bring, 
I  could  forever  tbink  and  sing ; 
When  with  His  name  I'm  charm'd  in  song, 
I  wish  myself  all  ear,  all  tongue. 

O  let  me  ever  share  His  grace. 

Still  taste  His  love,  and  view  His  face  ! 

Still  let  my  tongue  resound  His  name, 
And  Jesus  be  my  constant  theme. 

Blest  Saviour  !  what  delicious  fare  ! 

How  sweet  thy  entertainments  pre  ! 
Never  did   angels  taste  above, 

Redeeming  grace  and  dying  love !" 

And  this  sweet  lesson  we  have  shadowed 
forth  in  the  freshness  of  the  bread  placed 
upon  the  golden  table  of  the  Tabernacle. 

We  taJce  one  more  hole  at  this  table,  and 
gather  our  sixth  and  last  lesson  from  'rin  cov- 
ering OF  frankincense  which  we  see  spread 

OUT  OVER  THE  TOP  OF  THE  BREAD. 


216       THE    TABLE    OF    SHEW-BREAD. 

The  direction  giyen  respecting  this  part 
of  the  service  of  the  table  was  in  these 
words  : — "  And  thou  shalt  put  pure  frankin- 
cense upon  each  row,  that  it  may  be  on  the 
bread  for  a  memorial,  even  an  offering  made 
by  fire  unto  the  Lord."  Lev.  xxiv.  7. 
This  frankincense  was  an  aromatic  gum, 
w^hich,  when  pulverised,  yielded  a  beautiful, 
pure,  white  powder.  This  was  placed  upon 
the  table,  either,  as  some  suppose,  in  one  of 
the  golden  vessels  connected  therewith,  or, 
more  probably,  by  simply  being  spread  out 
over  the  top  of  the  loaves.  Two  things 
seem  to  have  been  represented  by  this 
part  of  our  subject.  When  we  see  the 
white  powder  of  the  frankincense  spread  out 
all  over  the  loaves  upon  the  table,  and  when 
w^e  bear  in  mind  that  those  loaves  were  a 
figure  of  Christ,  and  that  frankincense  is  a 
token  of  that  which  is  pleasing,  or  grateful, 
we  seem  to  have  exliihited,  in  heautiful  symbol 


THE    TABLE    OF    SHEW-EUE  AD .       217 

lefore  us,  the  accej)tahlencss  of  Christ  and  Ms 
worh  to  the  Father.  We  are  reminded  of 
those  different  occasions,  during  the  progress 
of  our  Saviour's  personal  ministry  on  earth, 
when  the  eternal  Father,  coming  forth,  as  it 
were,  from  the  awful  majesty  of  His  invisi- 
ble throne,  and  pointing  to  the  Incarnate 
Saviour,  toiling  onward  in  His  painful  path, 
proclaimed,  with  His  own  voice,  the  memo- 
rable words,  "  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in 
whom  I  am  well  pleased r  The  golden  table 
with  its  incense-covered  bread  was  a  pleas- 
ing object  to  the  Father.  His  eye  rested  on 
it  with  delight,  because  it  stood  before  Him 
as  the  significant  symbol  or  representative 
of  His  Beloved  Son.  And  so  the  preaching 
of  the  gospel,  irrespective  altogether  of  its 
saving  influence  on  the  souls  of  men,  is  de- 
clared to  be  "a  sweet  savor  unto  God." 
God  is  pleased  with  the  exercise  of  the  min- 
istry in  itself  considered.     The  simple  thing 


218      THE    TABLE    OF    SnEV7-BREAD. 

of  holding  forth  ^^  the  truth  as  it  is  in 
Jesus  "  is  that  in  which  He  delights.  When 
Christ  is  lifted  up,  in  the  presence  of  ruined 
men,  as  the  bread  which  came  down  from 
heaven,  a  service  is  rendered,  in  the  highest 
sense  acceptable  to  God.  And  this  truth 
was  symbolised,  in  the  Jewish  tabernacle, 
when  the  shew-bread  was  seen,  standing  on 
the  golden  table,  covered  all  over  with  the 
white  powder  of  the  frankincense. 

But,  there  is  another  thought  suggested, 
and  illustrated,  by  this  part  of  our  subject, 
and  that  is  the  intercession  of  Christ  as  the 
procuring  cause  of  all  our  spiritual  enjoy- 
ments and  Uessings.  When  the  loaves  were 
removed  from  the  table,  on  the  Sabbath, 
they  were  given  to  the  officiating  priests. 
They  were  to  eat  them,  and  none  but  they. 
And  while  they  were  doing  this,  the  frank- 
incense, which  had  lain  scattered  over  the 
surface  of  the  loaves,  was  collected  into  one 


THE    TABLE    OF    SIIEW-BREAD.       219 

of  tlie  golden  vessels,  and  "  burned  by  fire 
as  an  offering  before  the  Lord."  There  are 
the  priests  satisfying  their  hunger  with  the 
bread  which  has  been  taken  from  the  golden 
table,  and  deriving  strength  and  comfort 
from  it ;  and  even  while  they  are  thus  occu- 
pied, the  incense  is  burning,  and  its  fuming 
clouds  are  rising,  with  grateful  fragrance,  be- 
fore the  presence  of  the  Lord.  What  a 
beautiful  symbol  this  was  of  Christ's  inter- 
cession, as  connected  with  all  our  spiritual 
enjoyments,  and  the  procuring  cause  of  all 
our  blessings  !  We  read  God's  word,  and 
are  comforted  by  it ;  we  bow  in  prayer  be- 
fore the  mercy-seat  and  are  refreshed ;  we 
gather  round  the  sacramental  board  and  find 
our  souls  "  strengthened  by  the  body  and 
blood  of  Christ,  as  our  bodies  are  by  the 
bread  and  wine ;"  we  listen  to  the  preach- 
ing of  the  gospel ;  its  doctrines  distil  as  the 
dew  upon  our  souls,  making  them  to  grow 


220      THE    TABLE    OF    SHEW-BREAD. 

and  flourish  like  a  watered  garden ;  but 
while  we  thus  sit  in  heavenly  places  in 
Christ  Jesus,  and  find  ourselves  abundantly 
satisfied  with  the  plenteousness  of  His 
house,  let  us  never,  never  forget  the  con- 
nection of  all  this  circle  of  privilege  with 
the  gracious  service  of  our  Great  High  Priest 
within  the  veil.  There  the  incense  of  His 
merits  is  diffusing  its  grateful  fragrance  un- 
ceasingly before  the  mercy-seat,  and  we  are 
receiving  the  benefits  of  the  same  when  the 
golden  oil  of  His  grace  flows  down  to 
strengthen  and  comfort,  to  sanctify  and  save 
our  souls. 

Such  are  some  of  the  lessons  shadowed 
forth  by  the  table  of  shew-bread,  as  it  occu- 
pied its  appointed  place  in  the  Jewish 
Tabernacle. 

In  conclusioUy  it  seems  like  a  natural  infer- 
ence from  tills  siibject  to  speak  of  the  choice 
provision  God  has  made  for  the  spiritual  sup- 


THE    TABLE    OF    SHEW-BREAD.       221 

'^}Il/  of  His  people  in  the  luilderness  of  this 
ivorld.  It  was  symbolised,  in  the  tabernacle, 
by  the  bread  upon  the  golden  table.  This 
indeed  was  for  the  priests  only.  But,  under 
the  gospel  dispensation,  we  know,  all  the 
Lord's  people  are  priests.  They  are  all  per- 
mitted to  enter  the  sanctuary  and  eat  of 
that  which  this  shew-bread  represented. 
The  bread  of  the  tabernacle  was  choice 
bread.  It  Avas  made  of  the  finest  wheat. 
It  might  well  be  called  "  bread  from  heaven." 
Now  did  it  ever  occur  to  you  to  ask  the  ques- 
tion where  the  flour  came  from  of  which 
this  bread  was  made  in  the  wilderness  ?  Of 
course  the  wandering  tribes  could  sow  no 
seed,  and  reap  no  harvests  on  the  burning 
sands  of  the  desert.  To  carry  grain  or  flour 
with  them  through  the  forty  years  of  their 
sojourn  was  an  absolute  impossibility.  The 
material  then  of  which  this  bread  was  made 
must  have  been  furnished  by  miracle.     Nor 


222      THE    TABLE    OF    SHEW-BREAD. 

is  it  surprising  that  this  should  have  been  sOc 
When  the  table  of  the  people  was  fed  by 
miracle  for  six  days  in  the  week,  it  is  hard- 
ly likely  that  the  Lord's  table,  on  the  Sab- 
bath, should  have  been  supplied  from  a  lower 
source.  And  this  bread,  of  the  finest 
wheat,  thus  miraculously  provided,  how 
striking  a  symbol  it  was  of  Christ,  "  the 
bread  which  came  down  from  heaven,"  in 
the  most  true  and  literal  sense.  And  it  is 
on  that  the  souls  of  His  people  live  in  this 
world.  And  this  being  the  case,  we  cannot 
wonder  to  notice  the  strong  expressions 
which  God  employs  to  characterize  the 
spiritual  provision  made  for  His  people  in 
the  sanctuary.  In  one  place  He  calls  it, — 
''  marrow  and  fatness," — Ps.  Ixiii.  5^  in 
another  it  is — "  wine  and  milk,"  Is.  Iv.  1.; 
in  another  it  is, — "  honey  out  of  the  rock," 
Ps.  Ixxxi.  16;  again  it  is,  "a  feast  of  fat 
things  and  wine  on  the  lees,  well  refined." 


THE    TABLE    OF    SIIEW-BREAD.       223 

Is.  XXV.  6;  and  yet  again  it  is  spoken  of  as 
'^  the  corn  of  heaven  and  angel's  food/  Ps. 
Ixxviii.  25.  And  there  is  really  less  of 
figure  about  these  expressions  than  Ave  ordi- 
narily suppose.  For  "  the  truth  as  it  is  in 
Jesus  "  is  literally  '^  angels'  food."  They 
live  on  God.  Their  souls  are  enlightened, 
sustained,  and  blessed  by  the  truth  that  re- 
lates to  the  character  of  God.  But  of  this 
we  have  no  reason  to  suppose  that  the  angels 
know  anything  except  as  it  is  revealed  to 
them  through  Christ.  And  thus  it  is  true 
that  angels  in  heaven,  as  well  as  saints  on 
earth,  live  on  Him.  How  exalted  and  glo- 
rious is  the  position  of  a  Christian  !  He 
feeds  on  angels'  food.  He  gathers  clusters 
from  the  vines  of  the  heavenly  Canaan,  even 
while  wandering  through  the  wilderness. 
He  drinks  from  wells  fed  by  that  "river 
whose  streams  make  glad  the  city  of  God." 
Who  would  not  be  a  Christian !     No  wonder 


224      THE    TABLE    OF    SHEW-BTvEAD. 

that  David  should  esteem  the  fare  of  God's 
sanctuary,  more  than  his  necessary  food ; 
and  speak  of  it  as  '*  sweeter  than  honey 
and  the  honeycomb."  And  no  wonder  that 
Paul  so  exulted  "  in  the  excellency  of  the 
knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  his  Lord."  Men 
of  literature  and  science  find  pleasure  in 
iji «.'})'  cljosen  pursuits,  and  there  is,  unques- 
tionably, much  real  enjoyment  in  them. 
But  all  the  joy  which  the  whole  range  of 
nature  yields,  compared  to  that  which  the 
believer  finds  in  Jesus,  is  but  as  the  husk, 
or  the  shell  to  the  kernel.  Follower  of 
Christ,  how  satisfied,  how  cheerful  you 
should  be  !  How  you  should  rejoice  in  your 
portion !  "  Happy  are  the  people  who  are 
in  such  a  case  !  Yea,  blessed  are  the  peo- 
ple who  have  the  Lord  for  their  God!" 

And  you,  beloved  hearers,  who  are  not 
Christians,  why  stand  you  afar  off  from  this 
blessedness  ?      Apart   from  Jesus  there  is 


THE   TABLE    OF   SHEW-BREAD.       225 

nothing  in  the  universe  that  can  satisfy  the 
cravings  of  your  deathless  spirits.  The  pangs 
of  eternal  hunger  must  prey  upon  you  if 
you  feed  not  on  this  living  bread.  Oh,  is 
there  not  provision  made  for  you  in  the 
sanctuary  ? 

"  Why  are  its  bounties  all  in  vain 

Before  unwilling  hearts  displayed  ? 
Was  not  for  you  the  victim  slain  ? 

Are  you  denied  the  children's  bread  ?" 

"  In  our  Father's  house  is  bread  enoufj^h, 

and  to  spare  ;"  and  you  perish  with  hunger. 

Will  you  not   arise  and  go  to  your  Father, 

and  say  unto  him,  "  Father,  I  have  sinned 

against  heaven,  and  in  thy  sight,  and  am 

no  more  worthy  to  be  called  thy  son  ?"    He 

will  receive  you  and   bless  you.     He  will 

bring  forth  the  best  robe,  even  the  garment 

of  salvation,  the  robe  of  Jesus'    righteous 

ness^  and  put  it  on  you.     And  then  there 
17 


226       THE    TABLE   OF    SHEW-BREAP. 

will  be  "joy  in  the  presence  of  the  angels 
of  God"  over  another  sinner  that  repent- 
eth.  May  God  in  mercy  give  the  grace 
that  will  bring  every  wandering  prodi- 
gal here  present  to-night  thus  home  to  his 
Father's  house  for  Jesus'  sake — Aimen! 


CHAPTEK    VI. 


'g^nb  lljott  sljiilt  mnhe  Hit  nltiir  ia  bunt  intense  itpow;  d 
siyittim-boob  sljall  lljoti  make  it.  gi  cubit  sipll  be  ll^c 
lengtlj  tl^ereof,  anb  a  cubit  ll^e  breabilj  tljeuof;  fcui- 
square  sl^all  it  be;  anb  tbo  cubits  sljall  be  ll)e  Ijcigljt 
lljereof ;  tljc  Ijorns  lljereof  sljall  be  of  t^e  snme.  gnb 
t^ott  sljalt  obtrlag  it  foitlj  pure  golb,  llje  top  tijcreof, 
aub  tlje  sibcs  thereof  rou nb  about,  anb  llje  Ijoins  tljcre- 
0f ;  anb  iljou  sljalt  muhe  unto  it  a  crotrrn  of  cjolb  rounb 
"  about,  g^nb  Ibo  golbeit  lings  sl^att  tljou  mahe  to  it 
Muber  i^t  crobn  of  it,  bn  tlje  tbo  corners  lljercof,  upon 
tl^e  tbo  sibes  of  it  sl^alt  tl^ou  ntabe  it;  anb  tl^cn  sljnll 
be  for  places  for  tlje  stabcs  to  bear  it  bitl)al.  ^.nb  tgou 
sl)alt  make  tl^^e  stabes  of  sl^ittim-lnoob,  anb  obcrlau  tl^enx 
biitlj  golb.  gub  tljott  sljalt  put  it  before  tlje  bail  tijat 
is  bjJ  tlje  arf  of  tbe  icstimong,  before  tlje  mercg-seat 


228 

%f  b  obcr  tlje  fcstimoiig,  bijcre  |  bill  meet  foifb  i\tt, 
g.nb  giHroit  sI}nU  bunt  lljcnon  sfotcf  incense  cbcrg 
Kiorning :  toljeir  Ije  brcssetlj  t^e  lamps,  Ije  sljall  burn  in- 
cense upon  it.  giub  fol^jen  giaron  ligbtetl^  flje  lumps  at 
jcben,  |)e  sljall  burn  incense  upon  it;  a  perpetual  in- 
tenee  before  tlje  ^orb  tljrougbout  gour  generation,  ge 
sljall  offer  no  strange  incense  tijcreou,  nor  burnt  sacri- 
fice, nor  meat  offering;  neitljer  sbaK  ge  pour  brink 
offering  tijercon."— Exodus,  xxx.  1 — 9. 


VI. 


There  was  sometMng  very  interesting 
and  striking  in  the  nature  of  the  miracle  by 
which  the  prophet  Elijah  was  sustained^ 
while  he  was  an  inmate  of  the  lowly  dwell- 
ing of  the  widow  of  Sarepta.  It  was  a  time 
of  famine.  When  he  came  to  the  home  of 
that  poor  woman,  her  sole  supply,  for  her- 
self and  child,  consisted  of  a  handful  of 
meal  at  the  bottom  of  a  barrel,  and  of  a  lit- 
tle oil  in  a  cruse.  She  was  about  to  make 
what  she  supposed  would  be  her  last  cake, 
that  she  and  her  child  might  eat  it  and  die. 
T^t  she  believed  the  prophet's  word  when 
he  assured  her,  in  the  name  of  God,  of  a 
miraculous  supply  during  all  the  days  of  the 


230  THE    ALTAR   OF   INTENSE. 

famine.  She  acted  in  accordance  with  thig 
faith,  and  the  prophet's  word  was  verified. 
For  through  all  the  years  of  the  famine 
^'  the  barrel  of  meal  wasted  not,  neither  did 
the  cruse  of  oil  fail."  We  marvel  at  this, 
whenever  we  reflect  upon  it.  And  yet  we 
have  something  analogous  to  it  in  God's 
dealing  with  his  Church.  Look  at  this 
hible.  It  is  a  little  volume  which  you  can 
carry  in  your  pocket.  It  contains  some 
chapters  of  history,  a  little  poetry,  some 
prophecy,  a  few  biographical  sketches,  and 
several  letters.  This  is  all.  You  can  teach 
the  substance  of  its  contents  to  your  child 
before  he  leaves  the  nursery.  How  like  the 
widow's  handful  of  meal  in  the  barrel  this 
is !  And  yet,  this  is  all  the  household  of 
God  have  to  live  upon  spiritually.  Yes, 
and  it  is  all  they  need  to  have.  They  ne\^r 
can  get  through  with  it.  For  long  centuries 
they  have  lived  upon  it.     Yet  still,  from  age 


THE    ALTAR   OF   INCENSE.  231 

to  age,  the  truth  remains — the  miracle  con- 
tinues— and  "the  barrel  of  meal  wasteth 
not;  neither  does  the  cruse  of  oil  fliil." 

The  exhaustlessness  of  scripture !  how 
often,  as  we  handle  it,  we  are  impressed,  and 
almost  overpowered  with  this  thought ! 
This  train  of  thought  is  suggested  by  the 
simplicity  and  plainness  of  the  object  we 
are  now  to  consider,  and  yet  the  fulness  of 
the  instruction  imparted  by  it. 

Our  present  subject  is — The  altar  of  in^ 
cense  and  the  lessons  which  it  teaches. 

There  were  two  altars  connected  with  the 
Jewish  Tabernacle;  one  of  these  was  of 
brass,  the  other  of  gold.  The  former  stood 
without,  in  the  court  of  the  tabernacle,  the 
latter  stood  within  the  tabernacle,  in  the 
Holy  Place.  The  former  was  connected  with 
the  shedding  of  blood,  and  the  offering  of 
animal  sacrifices ;  the  latter  was  connected 
with  the  burning  of  sweet  spices^  and  tho 


232  THE   ALTAR   OF   INCENSE. 

rising  thence  of  clouds  of  fragrant  incense. 
The  truths  that  centred  in  the  one  told  of 
the  atonement  offered  for  the  sins  of  God's 
people ;  the  fuming  incense  offered  on  the 
other  told  of  the  high  calling  of  God's  peo- 
plC;  and  the  acceptableness  of  their  persons 
and  services  in  His  sight.  But  though  re- 
presenting aspects  of  truth  widely  different 
in  their  character,  yet  these  two  altars  were 
most  intimately  and  indissolubly  related  to 
each  other.  The  golden  altar  owed  all  the 
utility  and  worth  of  its  service  to  the  sprink- 
liug  upon  it  of  the  blood  that  had  been  shed 
upon  the  brazen  altar ;  and  the  fire  which 
caused  the  incense  to  send  forth  its  clouds 
of  fragrant  smoke  from  the  altar  in  the  Holy 
Place  was  kindled  from  the  coals  which  had 
consumed  the  victim  on  the  altar  of  burnt- 
offering. 

This  golden  altar  constituted  the  third 
article  of  the  furniture  of  the  Holy  Place* 


THE  ALTAR  OF  INCENSE. 
Jewish  Tabernacle. 


p.  232. 


THE   ALTAR   OF   INCENSE.  233 

As  the  priest  entered  the  sanctuary  from 
the  outer  court,  it  stood  directly  in  front  of 
him,  at  an  equal  distance  from  the  candle- 
stick and  the  table  of  shew-bread,  and  im- 
mediately in  front  of  the  vail,  or  curtain 
which  separated  the  Holy  Place  from  the 
Most  Holy. 

The  materials  of  which  this  altar  was  com- 
posed, like  those  of  the  ark  itself,  and  most 
other  parts  of  the  sacred  structure,  were 
the  shittim,  or  acacia  wood  overlaid  with 
gold. 

The  dimensions  of  this  altar  are  given 
with  great  distinctness  and  precision.  Its 
height  was  two  cubits,  or  three  feet  of  our 
measure.  In  length  and  breadth  the  sides 
were  one  cubit,  or  18  inches  each.  The 
height  of  this  golden  altar  exceeded  that  of 
any  other  article  of  the  tabernacle  furniture 
whose  dimensions  are  given  by  the  sacred 
writer.     The  dimensions  of  the  candlestick 


234  THE   ALTAR  OF   INCENSE. 

ar^  not  stated.  But  the  golden  altar  was 
higher  by  half  a  cubit  than  either  the  table 
of  shew-bread,  or  the  ark  of  the  covenant. 
Thus  it  took  the  lead  in  the  tabernacle ;  its 
summit  rose  more  to  a  level  with  Him  whose 
dwelling  place  was  "  between  the  Cherubim 
over  the  mercj-seat,"  and  thence  was  wafted 
the  fragrant  cloud,  which  sheltered  under 
its  perfume  both  the  priest  who  ministered, 
and  the  other  vessels  of  the  sanctuary.  This 
teaches  us  the  lofty  standing  of  our  Great 
High  Priest  in  the  sanctuary  above.  His 
first  entrance  there,  clothed  in  the  garment 
of  our  humanity,  added  a  new  and  sweet 
odor  to  the  heavenly  temple.  A  cloud  of 
human  fragrance  rolled  up,  mingling  itself 
with  the  cloud  of  divine  glory,  and  the 
dwelling  place  of  the  Most  High  was  filled 
with  the  holy  perfume.  It  covers  over  every 
ill-savor  that  otherwise  might  be  wafted 
from  the  worshipper  on  earth  in  the  Holy 


THE   ALTAE   OF   INCENSE-  235 

Place.  It  presents  its  fragrance  immeiliate- 
ly  "  before  the  Lord/'  so  that  no  weakness, 
no  failure  on  the  part  of  His  people,  may 
hinder  their  ready  access  to  the  throne  of 
grace. 

This  altar  was  furnished  with  horns,  or 
projections  at  the  several  corners,  though  the 
purpose  for  which  they  were  intended  does 
not  appear. 

Like  the  table  of  shew-bread,  the  altar  of 
of  incense  had  "a  crown  of  gold  round 
about."  This  denoted  here,  as  in  the  former 
case,  a  rim,  or  border,  by  which  the  cens4r, 
containing  the  coals  of  fire  which  consumed 
the  incense,  would  be  preserved  in  its  place. 

There  was  a  ring  on  each  of  the  opposite 
corners  of  the  altar,  directly  under  the 
crown,  or  rim,  through  which  staves  were 
placed  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  it  about, 
in  the  journeyings  of  the  people  through  the 
wilderness. 


236  THE    ALTAR   OF   INCENSE. 

Let  this  suffice  for  tlie  description  of  the 
golden  altar.  We  proceed  now  to  notice  the 
practical  lessons  taught  us  by  this  article  of 
the  tabernacle  furniture. 

We  gather  our  fird  lesson  from  the  shape 

AND  POSITION  OF  THIS  ALTAR. 

The  altar  was  four-square.  Its  length 
and  its  breadth  were  equal.  A  square  is  a 
compact,  even-sided  figure,  and  it  seems  to 
have  been  especially  chosen  for  the  form 
of  the  altar  as  if  to  represent  the  complete- 
ness and  fulness  of  the  work  effected  there- 
on, whether  of  sacrifice  or  of  incense.  The 
same  measure  and  estimate  were  thus  pre- 
sented every  way,  whether  towards  God,  or 
towards  man.  But  the  squareness  of  the 
altar  also  denoted  the  firmness  and  stabihty 
of  the  service  connected  with  it.  Prayer 
and  praise  are  not  temporary  things.  They 
were  not  designed  to  abide  merely  while 
that  dispensat^'on  lasted,  or  this  with  ivhich 


THE    ALTAR   OF   INCENSE.  237 

we  stand  connected.  Frayer  indeed  will  be 
confined  to  earth,  for  it  is  the  language  of 
want,  the  outgoing  of  desire  unsatisfied. 
But  "  praise  waiteth  for  God  "  in  the  hea- 
venly, as  well  as  in  the  earthly  Zion.  It  is 
the  company  of  the  redeemed,  in  the  glory 
of  their  everlasting  state  that  our  Divine 
Saviour  has  in  view  when  He  says, — "  In 
the  midst  of  the  Church  wiU  I  sing  praise 
unto  Thee."  Ps.  xxii.  22.  And  David  ex- 
presses the  same  idea,  in  the  words  so  beau- 
tifully rendered  in  our  metrical  version  : — 

"  ril  praise  my  Maker  with  my  breath  ; 

And  when  my  voice  is  lost  in  death 
Praise  shall  employ  my  nobler  powers  : 

My  days  of  praise  shall  ne'er  be  past, 
"While  life  and  thought,  and  being  last, 

And  immortality  endures." 

The  golden  altar  stood,  as  we  have  seen^ 
in  front  of  the  vail,  or  directly  before  the 
mercy-seat.     There  was  no  possible  waj  of 


238  THE    ALTAR   OF   INCENSE. 

approach  to  the  ark  of  the  covenant,  and  the 
mercy-seat  upon  it,  but  by  this  altar.  And 
as  this  altar,  with  the  incense  burning  upon 
it,  points  to  Christ  and  the  merits  of  his 
sacrifice,  we  cannot  look  upon  it,  in  the  posi- 
tion it  occupies,  without  seeing  in  it  a  most 
beautiful  and  impressive  illustration  of  the 
solemn  truth  announced  by  our  Saviour 
when  he  said, — "  No  man  cometh  unto  the 
Father  but  by  me."  As  we  thus  gaze  upon 
this  golden  altar,  it  is  as  though  each  of  its 
four  horns  were  pointing  to  Christ,  while 
upon  its  glittering,  blood-sprinkled  sides  we 
seem  to  see  inscribed  the  lines  of  the  hymn 
we  often  sing — 

"  Thou  art  the  way,  to  Thee  alone, 
From  sin  and  death  we  flee, 
And  he  who  would  the  Father  seek, 
Must  seek  Him  Lord  by  Thee." 

But  see  now  how  this  altar  stands.     In 
properly   arranged  diagrams,    or  drawings, 


THE    ALTAR   OF   INCENSE.  239 

it  is  represented  as  standing  cornerwise, 
having  an  angle,  and  consequently  a  horn, 
turned  toward  the  spectator  instead  of  a 
full,  square  side.  This  position  has  been 
adopted  from  the  consideration  of  the  fourth 
verse  of  the  passage  chosen  for  our  present 
text.  Here  we  read,  "  And  two  golden 
rings  shalt  thou  make  to  it,  under  the  crown 
of  it,  by  the  two  corners  thereof,  upon  the 
two  sides  of  it  shalt  thou  make  them ;  and 
they  shall  be  for  places  for  the  staves  to 
bear  it  withal."  From  this  it  is  plain  that 
there  were  but  two  rings  for  these  staves, 
and  not  four;  and  that  these  rings  were 
placed  at  two  opposite  corners  immediately 
imder  the  crown.  This  would  render  it 
necessary  that  the  altar  should  be  carried 
cornerwisey  rather  than  in  what  we  should 
term  a  square  position.  And  as  it  was  car- 
ried, so  it  would  be  deposited,  and  so  it  would 
Btand  in  the  tabernacle.     The  object  of  this 


240  THE    ALTAR   OF   INCENSE. 

variation  from  ail  tlie  otlier  vessels  of  the 
tabernacle  which  had  staves^ — each  of  the 
others  having  four  rings — was,  it  is  be- 
lieved, in  order  that  one  of  the  horns  of  the 
altar  should  be  directed  toward  each  part  of 
Israel's  host.  The  tabernacle  itself  stood 
east  and  west ;  and  the  four  camps  of  Israel 
took  up  their  positions,  severally,  with  refer- 
ence to  this  holy  dwelling;  Judah,  east; 
Heuben,  south;  Ephraim,  west;  and  Dan, 
north.  If  the  altar  stood,  as  we  are  suppo- 
sing, angularly  in  the  Holy  Place,  one  of  its 
horns  would  then  be  pointing  to  each  of  these 
four  camps ;  and  the  incense  from  its  sum- 
mit would  have  equal  reference,  in  all  its 
power  and  value,  to  each  portion  of  God's 
chosen  family.  Does  not  this  afford  us  a 
beautiful  type  of  the  intercession  of  Christ, 
offered  alike,  in  all  its  efficacy  and  fra- 
grance, for  CA^ery  portion  of  his  people  ? 
How  delightful  to  think  of  the  savor  of  that 


THE    ALTAR   OF    INCENSS.  211 

sweet  perfume  as  ascending  with  reference 
to  northj  south,  east,  and  west ;  and  of  its 
efficiency  and  fulness  as  presented  alike  in 
behalf  of  every  believing  soul !  Now,  that 
the  people  of  God  are  scattered  to  the  four 
winds  of  heaven,  separated  from  one 
another,  and  broken  up  into  little  frag- 
ments, how  comforting  it  is  to  remember 
that  all  are  presented  by  Christ  in  unbroken 
unity,  and  in  full  perfectness  before  God  ! 

But  then,  there  is  another  truth  taught  us 
by  these  horns  of  the  golden  altar.  Observe 
their  pointing  was  only  to  the  iriles  of  Israel, 
The  service  with  v/hich  they  stood  connect- 
ed, and  all  the  blessings  following  in  its 
train,  constituted  part  of  the  privilege  pe- 
culiar to  the  family  of  God.  It  was  a  privi- 
lege restricted  to  them.  And  this  is  equally 
true  of  the  intercession  of  Qhrist,  typified 
by  the  golden  altar  and  its  incense.     This 

intercession,  in  its  saving  influence,  at  least, 
11 


242  THE   ALTAR   OF    INCENSE. 

is  restricted  to  the  memlbers  of  Ilis  own 
family.  I  have  spoken  on  former  occasions 
of  the  atonement  of  Christ  as  unlimited  in 
its  nature.  This  language  was  only  intend- 
ed to  apply  to  the  tuoHJi,  or  merits  of  His 
sacrifice.  In  that  respect,  it  was  doubtless, 
in  the  beautiful  language  of  the  Prayer 
Book,  ''  a  full,  perfect,  and  sufficient  sacri- 
fice for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world."  But 
when  you  come  to  the  application  of  the 
atonement,  of  course  it  is  limited.  And  that 
which  determines  these  limits  is  the  abso- 
lute sovereignty  of  God.  And  so  the  in- 
tercession of  Christ  is  limited.  By  his  own 
teaching.  He  put  an  end  to  all  real  ground 
for  controversy  on  this  point,  among  those 
who  desire  simply  to  follow  his  guidance. 
"What  this  is  we  see  clearly  in  the  words  of 
the  great  prayer,  which  He  offered  in  the 
night  in  which  he  was  betrayed.  Then, 
taking  in  His  comprehensive  grasp,  all  whom 


THE   ALTAR  OF    INCENhiE.  243 

the  Father  had  given  to  him — even  all  who 
should  believe  on  Him  down  to  the  end  of 
time,  He  says  :  "  I  ][fray  for  iliem. '  And 
then,  as  if  to  guard  against  the  possibility 
of  misunderstanding  His  meaning,  He  puts 
in  a  negative  form  what  He  has  just  de- 
clared so  positively,  and  affirms  in  the  most 
emphatic  and  unqualified  manner,  the  sol- 
emn, awful  truth — "I  pray  not  for  the 
world  r  The  horns  of  the  golden  altar 
pointed  to  all  the  Israel  of  God — ^but  not 
to  others. 

Our  second  lesson  from  the  golden  altar  is 
taught  us  ly  the  condition  necessary  to  the 
OFFERING  OF  ITS  INCENSE,  viz.^  that  there  he  a 
fire  burning  on  it. 

The  incense  on  this  altar  may  be  regard- 
ed as  representing  two  things — viz.,  the  in- 
tercession of  Christ,  or  the  prayers  of  His 
people,  and  our  lesson  here  will  be  twofold 
as  embracing  both  these  ideas. 


244  THE   ALTAR   OF   INCENSE. 

This  incense  on  the  altar  typified  the  in* 
tercession  of  Christ.  But  the  fragrance  of 
the  incense  could  not  be  brought  out,  nor  its 
efficacy  put  forth  till  the  action  of  fire  ivas 
emfloijed.  And  these  burning  coals  on  the 
golden  altar,  to  what  do  they  point  us  in 
this  view  of  our  subject  but  the  sufferings 
of  Christ  ?  "  It  hehoved  Christ  to  suffer." 
It  was  His  sufferings  in  the  garden,  on  the 
cross,  and  all  through  the  amazing  scenes 
of  His  humiliation  which  gave  worth  to  His 
atonement  and  efficacy  to  His  intercession. 
These  are  the  live  coals  which  cause  the  in- 
cense of  his  merits  to  exhale  its  rich  fra- 
grance. It  is  when  bruised  and  crushed 
that  spices  give  forth  their  most  delightful 
perfumes.  The  substances  which  made  up- 
the  incense  employed  in  the  tabernacle  had 
to  be  reduced  to  powder  before  it  could  be 
made  use  of.  And  so  Christ  was  ^'  wound- 
ed for  our  transgressions,  and  bruised  for 


THE   ALTAR   OF   INCENSE.  245 

our  iniquities,  and  by  liis  stripes  we  are 
healed."  As  the  "captain  of  our  salva- 
tion," He  "  was  made  perfect ;"  i.  e.,  fully 
prepared  for  all  the  duties  of  His  exalted 
position,  "through  suffering."  As  God's 
own  chosen  lamb  He  was  bound  a  bleeding 
victim  on  the  brazen  altar  to  be  consumed 
by  the  fire  of  divine  justice,  before,  as  our 
great  High-priest,  He  could  take  his  stand 
beside  the  golden  altar,  or  enter  the  presence 
of  the  Father,  in  the  Holy  Place  not  made 
with  hands,  bearing  with  him  the  fragrant 
incense  of  His  own  merits.  This  incense, 
on  which  our  whole  acceptance  with  God 
depends,  would  never  have  exhaled  its  fra- 
grance, so  grateful  to  the  offended  majesty 
of  heaven,  if  it  had  not  been  consumed  upon 
the  burning  coals  of  divine  justice.  This 
truth  we  are  taught  as  we  stand  beside  the 
golden  altar  and  perceive  the  sweet  savor 
diffused  through  the  tabernacle  as  the  priest 


24:6  THE   ALTAR   OF   INCENSE. 

scatters  the  incense  on   the    fire    burning 
there. 

But  we  have  another  lesson  taught  us 
here.  The  golden  censer,  on  this  altar,  with 
the  incense  rising  from  it,  denotes,  tve  know, 
the  'prayer 8  of  God's  people.  This  St.  John 
teaches  us  in  one  of  his  apocalyptic  vis- 
ions. Rev.  viii.  3,  4.  Here  we  read  : — 
"  And  another  angel  came  and  stood  at  the 
altar,  having  a  golden  censer ;  and  there  was 
given  him  much  incense  that  he  should  offer 
it  with  the  prayers  of  all  the  saints  upon  the 
golden  altar  which  was  before  the  throne. 
And  the  smoke  of  the  incense,  which  came 
with  the  prayers  of  the  saints,  ascended  up 
before  God  out  of  the  angefs  hand."  Here 
again  we  see  that  ihe  incense  could  yield  no 
fragrance  without  fire.  The  priest  put  it  on 
the  live  coals,  and  then  the  odorous  clouds 
went  fuming  up,  a  sweet  savor,  acceptable 
to  God.     And  here  we  are  taught,  in  a  most 


THE   ALTAR   OF    INCENSE.  247 

significant  way,  tlie  necessity  of  heartiness, 
or  fervor  in  our  worship,  if  we  would  have 
it  well-pleasing  to  God.  There  must  be  the 
warmth  of  real  affection,  the  fire  of  glowing 
love  on  the  altar  of  our  hearts,  or  there  will 
be  no  fragrant  incense  going  up  with  our 
prayers  and  praises.  It  was  when  his  peo- 
ple had  become  cold  and  dead,  and  their 
religion  had  degenerated  into  a  mere  formal 
service  ;  in  other  words,  it  was  when  the  fire 
had  gone  out  upon  the  golden  altar,  that  God 
said  to  them,  by  the  prophet :  "  Bring  no 
more  vain  oUations ;  incense  is  an  ahomina- 
tion  unto  me."  Isaiah  i.  13.  How  impres- 
sive the  lesson  here  taught  us  of  God's 
intense  dislike  of  cold  and  formal  worship, 
when  we  find  Him  calling  the  very  ofi'erings 
He  had  Himself  ordained,  "  vain  ollations  ;" 
and  the  incense  He  had  commanded,  ^^  an 
ahomination  "  before  Him,  because  it  was  not 
accompanied  by  the  fire  of  sincere  affection  \ 


248  THE    ALTAR   OF    INCENSE. 

This  is  quite  in  keeping  with  the  strong  Inn- 
giiage  applied  by  Him  to  the  Laodicean 
Churchy  when  He  says  :  '^  I  would  thou 
wert  cold^  or  hot ;  so^  then,  because  thou  art 
lukewarm,  and  neither  cold  nor  hot,  I  will 
spue  thee  out  of  my  mouth."  Rev.  iii.  15, 
16.  Nor  can  we  be  surprised  at  this,  if  we 
reflect  that,  as  ransomed  sinners,  when  we 
come  before  God  in  worship,  we  are  sur- 
rounded ]dy  all  the  marvels  and  wonders  of 
redeeminpf  love.  The  thoudit  of  this  "  scale 
of  miracles "  should  indeed  "  make  every 
bosom  burn,  and  every  heart  to  bound." 

"  On  sncli  a  tbenie  'tis  iinpions  to  be  cold  : 
Piission  is  reason,  transport  temper  here. 
Shall  Heaven  which  gave  us  ardor,  and  has  shown 
Her  own  for  man  so  strongly,  not  disdain 
That  prose  of  pietv,  a  lukewarm  praise  ? 
Rise  odors  sweet  from  incense  uninfiamed  ? 
Devotion  when  lukewarm  is  «?2devout ; 
But  when  it  glows  its  heat  is  struck  to  heaven ; 
To  human  hearts  her  golden  harps  are  strung ; 
And  Heaven's  orchestra  chants  Amen  to  maa. 


THE    ALTAR   OF   INCENSE.  249 

Praise  ardent,  cordial,  constant  is  to  God 
More  fragrant  than  Arabia  sacrificed, 
And  all  her  spicy  mountains  in  a  flame." 

Our  third  lesson  from  this  altar  is  taught 

us     hj    the    CONTINUOUSNESS     OF     THE      INCENSE 

u])on  it. 

We  read  in  the  seventh  verse  of  the  pas- 
sage which  constitutes  our  text — '^  And 
Aaron  shall  burn  thereon  sweet  incense 
every  morning  :  when  he  dresseth  the  lamps 
he  shall  burn  incense  upon  it.  And  when 
he  lighteth  the  lamps  at  even,  he  shall 
burn  incense  upon  it,  a  perpetual  incense 
before  the  Lord  throughout  your  genera- 
tions." The  morning  supply,  it  is  supposed, 
lasted  until  evening ;  and  the  evening  sup- 
ply until  the  morning.  Even  in  their  jour- 
neying through  the  wilderness  this  service 
was  kept  up,  and  wherever  their  weary 
tribes  were  led,  the  sweet  savor  of  this  in 

cense  was  going  up  before  God,  as  a  memo 
11* 


250  THE   ALTAR  OF   INCENSE. 

rial  in  their  belialf    continually.     Thus  it 
was  emphatically,  as  God  designed  it  to  be 
"  a  iierpetiial  incense." 

How  beautifully  this  points  us  to  Jesus ! 
His  offering,  once  made  upon  the  brazen 
altar,  was  never  repeated ;  and  so  the  in- 
cense of  his  merits,  once  thrown  upon  the 
fire  on  the  golden  altar,  never  needs  to  be 
repeated.  The  fire  upon  this  altar  never 
goes  out,  and  the  fragrance  given  forth  from 
it  never  ceases  to  ascend.  The  intercession 
of  Christ  is  uninterrupted.  ''  He  ever  liveth 
to  make  intercession  for  us."  "  He  does  not 
plead  for  His  people,"  says  an  English  wri- 
ter, "at  distant  intervals,  forgetting  them 
in  the  meanwhile,  but  is  ever,  at  all  times 
presenting  their  wants  and  trials  before  his 
Father.  His  intercession  is  not  so  much  a 
succession  of  requests,  as  a  constant  stream 
of  advocacy,  at  once  ever  varying  with 
the    varying     circumstances    of    his    peo- 


THE     ALTAR     OF     INCENSE.         251 

pie,  and  under  all  circumstances  never 
ceasing." 

"  The  higli-priest  of  the  earthly  taher- 
nacle  went  into  the  Holy  of  Holies,  and 
appeared  before  the  mercy-seat  as  the  advo- 
cate of  the  people  only  once  a  year.  At 
other  times  no  voice  was  heard,  no  blood 
was  sprinkled  within  that  Most  Holy  Place, 
and  from  one  day  of  atonement  to  another 
the  Israelite  was  left  without  his  intercessor." 

"  But  it  is  not  so  with  the  High-priest  of 
the  heavenly  sanctuary.  Christ  does  not 
cast  an  occasional  glance  at  our  concerns, 
and  then  turn  his  attention  to  something 
more  important.  No,  but  in  his  Infinite 
mind.  He  embraces  at  once,  all  the  necessi- 
ties of  his  people,  and  while  ruling  all 
worlds,  leaves  not  a  moment  of  time  unoc- 
cupied with  thoughts  for  our  good." 

"  He  does  this  for  all  His  people.  There 
is   not  one  of  His  believing   children,  for 


252         THE     ALTAR     OF     INCENSE. 

whom  Jesus  intercedes  not,  and  for  whom 
He  is  not  interceding  constantly.  Our  joys 
and  hopes  are  j^assing  and  changeful ;  our 
prayers  and  praises  vary  with  every  wind 
of  temptation,  and  are  often  drowned  amid 
the  roaring  noise  of  the  waves  of  this  trou- 
blesome world ;  but  the  voice  of  our  Inter- 
cessor  is  ever  the  same.  We  hear  it  not, 
but  in  heaven  it  sounds  so  earnestly  as  to 
stay  the  uplifted  arm  of  Justice  ere  it  fall ; 
so  sweetly  as  to  make  angels  sometimes 
drop  their  harps  to  listen  to  it,  and  so  con- 
stantly as  never  to  leave  one  silent  interval. 
The  intercession  of  the  Jewish  high-priest 
was  not  merely  occasional,  while  ours  is 
constant ;  but  that  was  only  iemporary  while 
ours  is  everlasting.  The  tabernacle  of  Shi- 
loh  was  removed.  The  temple  at  Jerusalem 
was  destroyed.  With  it  passed  away  tlie 
Mosaic  ritual,  and  from  that  time  no  high- 
priest     except  our   great   Iligh-priest,  has 


THE    ALTAR   OF    INCENSE.  253 

ever  interceded  for  God's  children.  The 
Jewish  hii>h-priests  e.re  gone,  but  the  Chris- 
tian High  priest  has  an  unchangeable  priest- 
hood. His  existence  and  his  priesthood  are 
alike  eternal;  and  therefore,  Jesus,  who 
interceded  for  his  people  in  the  time  of  the 
apostles,  and  obtained  for  them  the  outpour- 
ing of  the  Spirit,  intercedes  as  really  for  us 
now,  and  will  intercede  for  his  saved  people 
throughout  eternity.  Our  deliverance  from 
sin  will  not  set  us  free  from  wants.  On  the 
contrary,  every  increase  of  happiness  will 
hereafter,  as  well  as  now,  bring  with  it  an 
increase  of  necessities.  The  blessedness  of 
heaven  does  not  consist  in  having  no  wants, 
in  being  independent  of  God — but  in  having 
every  want  supplied.  Even  in  heaven  we 
shall  need,  and  have  our  Intercessor. 
Through  endless  ages  He  will  form  a  mirror, 
reflecting  in  His  Father's  sight  all  the  wishes 
of  the  saints  in  glory,  and  giving  back  to 


254  THE   ALTfVR   OF   INCENSE. 

them  the  bright  rays  of  the  Father's  love. 
''  This  priest,  because  He  continueth  forever, 
hath  an  unchangeable  priesthood.  Where- 
fore He  is  able  to  save  them  to  the  uttermost 
that  come  unto  God  by  Him,  seeing  He  ever 
liveth  to  make  intercession  for  them." 
(Garratt's  Scripture  Symbolism.) 

Our  fourth  lesson  from  this  subject  is  frir- 
nished  hj  ohserving  the  connection  of  the 

ALTAR  OF  INCENSE  WITH  BOTH  THE  OUTER  AND 
THE  INNER  SANCTUARY. 

The  golden  altar  stood,  as  we  have  seen, 
in  the  outer  sanctuary,  the  Holy  Place,  just 
before  the  vail.  It  was  part  of  the  furniture 
of  the  Holy  Place.  It  beIo7iged  to  that.  The 
other  articles  of  furniture  in  that  place  were 
hallowed  by  the  odor  of  its  incense.  AU 
the  services  performed  there  were  perfumed 
by  its  fragrance,  and  thus  rendered  accepta- 
ble to  God. 

But  on  the  great  day  of  atonement,  when 


THE   ALTAR   OF    INCENSE.  255 

the  liigh-priest  entered  through  the  Tail  into 
the  Most  Holy  Place,  he  carried  with  him 
the  censer,  with  its  fuming  incense,  from  of! 
the  golden  altar.  The  inner,  as  well  as 
the  outer  part  of  the  sanctuary  was  perva- 
ded by  the  fragrance  of  the  same  incense. 
All  the  service  rendered  in  the  one,  as  well 
as  in  the  other,  stood  upon  the  same  ground, 
was  accepted  on  the  same  principle,  and  per- 
fumed with  the  odor  of  the  same  sweet 
smelling  savor. 

Now  we  know  that  the  outer  part  of  the 
sanctuary,  or  the  Holy  Place,  represented 
the  Church  on  earth ;  while  the  inner  part, 
or  the  Most  Holy  Place,  represented  the 
Church  in  heaven.  The  lesson  taught  us  by 
the  part  of  the  subject  now  before  us  is, 
that  the  golden  altar,  with  its  incense,  be-^ 
longs  alike  to  both  these  departments  of  the 
Church  of  Christ.  All  the  service  per- 
formed, and  all  the  joy  experienced  by  the 
17 


256  THE    ALTAR   OF    INCENSE. 

redeemed  in  the  Churcli  on  earth  is  based 
upon  the  sacrifice  of  Christ,  and  connected 
with  the  incense  of  his  merits.  And  the 
same  will  be  true  of  the  redeemed  in  the 
Church  in  heaven.  How  sweet  and  precious 
is  the  thought  of  this  point  of  practical  con- 
nection between  the  Church  in  its  militant 
and  its  triumphant  state.  "We  glory  in  the 
cross  of  Christ,  here  on  earth.  Our  sweet- 
est pleasures,  our  highest  joys,  are  realized 
in  connection  with  it. 

"  Here  it  is  we  find  our  heaven, 

While  upon  the  Lamb  we  gaze  ; 
Here  we  see  our  sins  forgiven, 

Lost  in  wonder,  love  and  praise." 

And  no  view  that  could  be  given  of  the 
grandeur,  or  the  glory  of  heaven,  would  be 
satisfying  to  the  souls  of  the  redeemed  un- 
less it  taught  them  to  associate  with  all  the 
sources  of  their  most  ecstatic  bliss  the 
thought  of  intimate  fellowship,  and  indisso 


THE   ALTAR   OF    INCENSE.  257 

iuble  connection  with  Jesus,  the  object  of 
their  supremest  love.  But  we  are  taught 
this  most  clearly  when  we  gaze  upon  the 
inner  shrine  of  the  tabernacle,  and  see  tliat^ 
as  well  as  the  outer  division  of  it,  pervaded 
hy  the  clouds  of  incense  from  the  golden 
altar.  Whatever  service  we  may  be  per- 
mitted to  render,  in  the  heavenly  state,  will 
be  service  rendered  through  Christ.  What- 
ever glory  we  may  attain  to,  or  vvhatever 
happiness  we  may  possess  there,  will  still  be 
glory  and  happiness,  emanating  from  Christ 
and  shared  in  connection  with  Him,  And 
when  in  one  place  we  hear  Jesus  thus  pray- 
ing for  His  people  : — "  Father,  I  will  that 
they  also  whom  thou  hast  given  me,  be  with 
me,  where  I  am ;" — when  in  another  place 
we  read  of  the  redeemed  standing  before  the. 
throne  arrayed  in  robes  "  washed  and  made 
white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb  ;"  when  in 
another  place  w^e  hear  the  anthem  of  accom- 


258  THE   ALTAR   OF    INCENSE. 

plished  redemption  pealing  through  the 
arches  of  the  upper  sanctuary,  and  find  that 
the  ever-recurring  chorus  is — "  Worthy  is 
the  Lamb  that  was  slain  to  receive  power, 
and  riches,  and  wisdom,  and  strength,  and 
honor,  and  glory,  and  blessing ;"  and  when 
in  another  place  we  see  the  company  of  the 
ransomed  in  their  homes  of  bliss,  and  hear 
Jesus  say  of  them — "  they  shall  walk  tvith 
me  in  white,  for  they  are  worthy,"  or  find 
it  promised  elsewhere,  "  the  Lamb  that  is  in 
the  midst  of  the  throne  shall  feed  them,  and 
lead  them  to  fountains  of  living  waters," 
ihen  we  are  perfectly  assured  of  the  precious 
jtruth, — 

"Once  in  Christ,  in  Christ  forever, 
So  the  unfailing  word  declares, 
Neither  sin,  nor  death  shall  sever 
Jesus  from  his  chosen  heirs." 

What  a  beautiful  illustration  we  have  here 
of  the   words  of  the  apostle  when  he   de- 


THE    ALTAR    OF    IN':!ENSE.  259 

clares  that, — "Neither  life  nor  death,  nor 
angels,  nor  principalities,  nor  powers,  nor 
things  present,  7ior  things  to  come,  shall  sepa- 
rate us  from  the  love  of  God  which  is  in 
Christ  Jesus,  our  Lord."     Rom.  viii.  39. 

And  when  we  look  upon  the  Jewish 
tabernacle  and  see  the  high -priest,  all  the 
while  that  he  officiated  in  the  Most  Holy 
Place,  covered  with  the  cloud  of  incense, 
we  are  taught,  by  this  significant  shadow, 
that  in  all  the  glory  and  blessedness  of  the 
heavenly  state  the  redeemed  will  ever  be 
associated  with  Christ  and  dependent  on 
Him. 

Our  fifth  and  last  lesson  from  this  suhject 
is  gathered  from  the  nature  and  composition 
OF  THE  incense  offered  upon  the  golden  altar. 

We  have  a  description  of  it  given  in  the 
chapter  from  which  our  text  is  taken,  Exod. 
XXX.  84 — 38.  "And  the  Lord  said  unto 
MoseS;  take  unto  thee  sweet  spices,  stacte. 


260  THE   ALTAR   OF   INCENSE. 

and  onycha,  and  galbanum ;  these  sweet 
spices,  with  j)ure  frankincense  :  of  each  shall 
there  be  a  like  weight ;  and  thou  shalt  make 
it  a  perfumCj  a  confection  after  the  art  of  the 
apothecary,  tempered  together,  pure  and 
holy ;  and  thou  shalt  beat  some  of  it  very 
small,  and  put  of  it  before  the  testimony  in 
the  tabernacle  of  the  congregation,  where  I 
will  meet  with  thee  :  it  shall  be  unto  you 
most  holy.  And  as  for  the  perfume  w^hich 
thou  shalt  make,  ye  shall  not  make  to  your- 
selves according  to  the  composition  thereof: 
it  shall  be  unto  thee  holy  for  the  Lord. 
Whosoever  shall  make  like  unto  that,  to 
smell  thereto,  shall  even  be  cut  olT  from  his 
people." 

Of  course  this  points  directly  to  Christ  in 
his  intercessory  work.  Now,  observe  this 
incense  was  composed  of  four  substances. 
Three  of  these,  onycha,  stacte,  and  galba- 
num, were  substances  entirely  unknown  to 


THE    ALTAR   OF    INCENSE.  2G1 

US.  They  lie  outside  of  the  circle  of  our 
knowledge.  These  may  very  well  be  re- 
garded as  pointing  to  the  divinity  of  Christ, 
in  the  mysteriousness  of  its  connection  with 
His  death  and  sacrifice.  These  are  matters 
of  which,  like  the  three  elements  of  the  in- 
cense under  consideration,  we  know  nothing 
at  all.  They  are  mysteries  to  us.  We 
know  the  facts  connected  w^ith  them,  men- 
tioned in  the  scriptures,  as  we  know  the 
names  of  these  strange  substances,  but  we 
know  nothing  more. 

The  frankincense  was  a  substance  with 
which  we  are  acquainted.  It  was,  we  know, 
an  aromatic,  odoriferous  gum,  obtained  by 
incisions  from  the  bark  of  a  tree  named  by 
the  ancients  Thurifera.  This  tree  grows  in 
Arabia,  and  around  Mount  Lebanon,  and  its 
leaves  are  said  to  resemble  those  of  a  pear- 
tree.  We  may  regard  this  frankincense  as 
representing  the  humanity  of  Christ.     This 


262  THE   ALTAR    OF   INCENSE. 

we  know  and  understand^  for  it  was  like  our 
own,  in  all  respects,  save  that  it  was  free 
from  sin. 

The  elements  composing  this  incense  ivere 
mingled  together  in  equal  parts.  This  seems 
to  point  significantly  to  the  entire  and  per- 
fect harmony  of  character  which  distinguish- 
ed our  glorious  Saviour.  There  was  nothing 
out  of  place  in  him.  All  the  elements  of 
his  being  were  in  full  development,  and 
beautiful,  harmonious  proportion.  His  peo- 
ple, for  the  most  part,  attain  to  eminence  by 
the  preponderance  of  some  one  element  of 
character  over  others.  Abraham  was  dis- 
tinguished for  his  faith — Job  for  his  patience, 
Moses  for  his  meekness,  David  for  his  devo- 
tion, Elijah  for  his  courage,  Daniel  for  his 
wisdom,  Peter  for  his  impetuous  ardor,  and 
John  for  the  loving  gentleness  of  his  spirit. 
But  it  was  very  different  with  Jesus.  We 
see  in  Him,  not  single  points  of  excellence, 


THE   ALTAR   OF   INCENSE.  2G3 

or  features  of  character  in  partial  develop- 
mentj  but  a  full-orbed  circle  of  loveliness, 
including  every  possible  grace  illustrated 
and  combined  in  absolute  perfection.  In 
contemplating  bis  character  you  may  go 
round  the  entire  circle  of  moral  and  spiritual 
excellence,  and  from  whatever  point  of  view 
you  regard  him,  you  are  constrained  to  say 
of  him,  in  all  sincerity  and  truth,  that  he  is 
^Hhe  chief  among  ten  thousand,  and  alto- 
gether lovely." 

Again,  the  materials  of  which  the  incense 
was  composed  had  to  he  beaten  into  small  par- 
ticles, or  reduced  to  potvder  before  it  was  pre- 
fared  to  give  out  its  rich  fragrance.  And  so 
Jesus,  our  glorious  Saviour,  had  to  be  brought 
very  low,  and  stoop  to  the  most  wondrous 
humiliation  before  the  golden  censer  of  His 
merits  could  yield  those  sweet  odors  which 
are  so  refreshing  to  the  souls  of  his  people, 
and  at  the  same  time  so  well  pleasing  to  God, 


264  THE    ALTAR   OF   INCENSE. 

and  so  efficacious  to  secure  our  acceptance 
"before  Him.  How  perfectly  amazing  to 
contemplate  was  the  depth  of  Christ's  hu- 
miliation !  From  the  lofty  heights  of  essen- 
tial deity  down  to  the  low  leyel  of  a  ruined 
and  dishonored  humanity,  what  a  descent ! 
For  "  the  brightness  of  the  Father's  glory, 
and  the  express  image  of  His  person"  to 
be  "  found  in  fashion  as  a  man/'  eyen  in  the 
^^  form  of  a  servant/'  what  condescension  ! 
Behold  Him  who  made  the  Vv^orld  and  every- 
thing in  it ;  who  gave  to  its  inhabitants 
'^  life,  and  breath,  and  all  things/'  become 
Himself  a  dweller  in  the  world  He  had 
made  !  See  !  "  He  comes  to  his  own,  and 
his  own  receive  Him  not."  He  lives  on  un- 
known, rejected,  despised.  He  is  hungry 
and  thirsty,  and  weary ;  dependent  for  his 
daily  bread  upon  the  alms  of  others.  He  is 
esteemed  "  a  worm,  and  no  man,  the  very 
scorn   of  men,    and   a   by-word  among  the 


THE   ALTAR   OF    INCENSE.  235 

people."  His  name  is  cast  out  as  evil.  lie 
is  reckoned  a  base  fellow,  "  a  ring-leader  of 
sedition,"  a  Samaritan,  and  a  devil.  He  is 
classed  with  malefactors  and  murderers.  He 
is  "  made  a  curse  for  us  as  He  hung  upon 
the  tree."  Ah !  this  was  the  process  by 
which  He  who  constitutes  our  incense  was 
beaten  fine,  was  ground  to  a  powder  that 
He  might  give  forth  an  atoning,  satisfying 
odor,  whose  fragrance  should  endure  un- 
wasted  through  eternity,  and  whose  effi- 
cacy should  prevail  for  every  necessity 
of  the  uncounted  multitude  of  His  chosen 
people. 

Such  are  the  lessons  we  gather  from  the 
golden  altar. 

In  conclusion,  tue  see  from  this  siibjeci  the 
qroundof  the  Christian  s  comfort  in  serving  God. 

He  knows  that  Jesus  is  always  interce- 
ding for  him  before  God.  If  you  are  a  be- 
liever, God  nevei  beholds  you  but  through 


266  THE   ALTAR   OF   INCENSE. 

the  medium  of  tlie  cloud  of  fragrant  incense 
that  rises  unceasingly  before  Him  from  the 
golden  censer  of  the  merits  of  Ilis  own  be- 
loved Son.  This  cloud  of  incense  is  sur- 
rounding your  person  at  all  times.  This  is 
the  point  of  view  from  which  to  see,  in  its 
true  meaning,  that  passage  which  sets  forth 
so  sweetly  the  preciousness  of  the  covenant 
relation  in  which  God's  people  stand,  when 
we  are  assured  that  "  He  doth  not  behold 
iniquity  in  Jacob,  neither  doth  He  see  per- 
verseness  in  Israel."  Num^b.  xxiii.  21.  When 
your  prayers  or  praises  are  offered  before 
God,  though  utterly  unworthy,  in  them- 
selves considered,  of  His  notice  or  regard, 
yet  the  fragrance  of  this  incense  goes  up 
with  them,  and  secures  their  acceptance. 
When  you  perform  any  service  for  God, 
though  it  be  the  very  best  and  holiest  you 
can  render,  you  know  it  to  be  marred  with 
many  short-comings,  and  stained  v*^ith  many 


THE   ALTAR   OF    INCENSE.  267 

imperfections  ;  but  when  it  is  perfumed  with 
the  merits  of  the  Great  Mediator,  it  be- 
comes at  once  a  sweet  savor,  acceptable  unto 
God.  Wherever  you  go  this  incense  accom- 
panies you.  Wherever  you  abide  it  abides 
with  you.  In  lying  down  and  rising  up,  in 
going  out  and  coming  in,  in  praying,  and  in 
praising,  in  acting  and  in  suflPering,  in  health 
and  in  sickness,  in  life  and  in  death,  in  time 
and  in  eternity,  the  fragrance  of  this  divine 
incense  surrounds  you.  It  fills  the  circle 
in  which  you  live  and  move.  It  prevents 
and  follows,  pervades,  and  sanctifies  every 
act  you  perform.  Believer  in  Jesus  !  this 
is  the  relation  in  which  you  stand  to  the 
Lord  God  Almighty.  Glorious  privilege  of 
the  child  of  God  !  Who  would  not  Ij  a 
Christian  ? 

But  this  siiljed  also  'presents  in  a  starring 
light  the  position  and  conduct  of  those  tvhc  a/-^* 
not  Christians, 


2G8  THE    ALTAR  OF  INCENSE. 

For  observe  now,  that  on  the  authority 
of  God's  most  positive  and  explicit  declara- 
tion, the  people  were  forbidden  to  use  any 
other  incense  than  that  which  He  had  pro- 
vided. The  prohibition  ran  thus  :  "And  as 
for  the  perfume  which  thou  shalt  make,  ye 
shalt  not  make  to  yourselves  according  to 
the  composition  thereof.  Whosoever  shall 
make  the  like  unto  it,  shall  even  be  cut  off 
from  his  people."  Exod.  xxx.,  37,  38. 
There  is  something  very  solemn  in  this  pro- 
hibition. It  seems  like  the  great  standing 
law  of  Jehovah,  written  with  His  own  finger 
over  this  heaven-devised  incense — ^"  To  coun- 
terfeit is  death  r  The  soul  that  attempts  to 
do  this  shall  be  cut  off  from  his  people. 
This  is  solemnly  significant.  It  bears  with, 
tremendous  power  on  all  who  have  no  saving 
interest  in  Christ.  My  dear  hearer,  not  a 
Christian,  on  what  are  you  depending  for 
salvation  ?     Is  it  your  morality  ?    Is  it  your 


THE    ALTAR   OF    INCEXSE.  269 

alms-giving  ?  Is  it  your  Church  connection  ? 
Is  it  the  general  idea  of  God's  mercy  ?  See 
what  you  are  doing  in  clinging  to  any  such 
hope ;  you  are  coming  before  God  with  other 
incense  than  that  which  lie  has  ordained. 
You  are  counterfeiting  that  which  He  has 
marked  as  genuine.  The  very  plea  to  which 
you  are  trusting  will  cover  you  with  con- 
fusion, and  pluck  down  heavier  ruin  on  your 
head.  Soul  out  of  Jesus,  you  are  undone. 
But  seek  an  interest  in  Him,  and  then  you 
will  have  part  in  his  intercession — and  the 
fragrant  incense  of  his  merits  will  be  thrown 
around  you,  and  rise  up  with  acceptance  be- 
fore God  in  your  behalf. 


CHAPTER    VII. 


**^nii  lIjejT  sl^all  mnhe  hit  nrh  of  sljiltim-fooob;  ifoo  tubifs 
Hub  a  Ijalf  sl)all  be  l^c  Iciigtij  lljcrcof,  aub  a  tiibil  anb 
a  ^alf  llj€  kabllj  lljcrrof,  anb  a  cubit  aub  a  Ijalf  il^c 
fecigljt  l^crcof.  g^nb  iljou  sljall  obalag  ii  bjitlj  |]u« 
golb:  foitl/ut  arb  teitljouf  sljalt  tijou  cbcrlair  it;  aub 
sljalt  malie  xipou  it  a  crofou  of  golb  rouub  about,  gub 
l^ott  sljalt  cast  four  rings  of  golb  for  it,  anb  put  tljcm 
ht  llje  four  corners  lljercof ;  anb  tbo  rings  sljall  be  iit 
i\t  out  sibc  of  it,  anb  Ifoo  rings  in  tlje  otl^cr  sibc  of  it. 
giub  tljou  sl)alt  mahc  stabcs  of  sljittim-looob,  anb  obcr- 
lag  tijem  foitlj  golb.  giub  iljou  sljalt  put  tlje  states 
into  tlje  rings  bg  tlje  sibcs  of  tl)e  arh,  tbat  Ibe  arh  mng 
be  borne  foitlj  tijcm.  ^\^t  stabcs  sljall  be  in  tbe  rings 
of  tlje  ark;  tijcn  sball  not  be  tahcn  from  it.  ^\xii  tljoit 
sl^alt  put  into  tijc  ark  tljc  testimonu  fol/idj  |  sljall  gibe 
lljce.  giub  tljou  sljalt  make  a  mercn-scat  of  pure  golb : 
ibo  cubits  anb  a  Ijalf  sljall  be  ilje  lengtlj  tljcrccf,  aub  a 


272 

tuHt  nub  a  Ijalf  Ibc  brcabfli  fbcrcof.  gvub  fl^ou  sball 
nmhc  tbo  cbcnibims  of  qolb,  of  brntcir  loovfi  sbalt  tboit 
mnh  lljcm,  iit  Ibe  ibo  cubs  of  Ibc  mcvcn-scnt.  giiib 
ntalu  0iu  cljcrub  oix  ilje  one  tub,  anb  il)c  olbcr  cl^crub 
on  tl^t  otljcr  ti\i);  thm  of  tijc  mcrcj)-sfat  sljall  jjcmake 
il3C  cljcrubims  on  lljc  itoo  cubs  tijcrcof*  giub  iljc  cljcru- 
bims  sball  strclclj  fortlj  lljcir  teiucjs  oit  l/iob,  cobcviug 
fijc  imrcg-sent  Irrit^  lljcir  foiitgs,  Hrb  tijcir  faces  sl)all 
look  Dire  to  Huotl^cr;  tofoarb  flje  mcrcg-scat  sl^all  lljc 
faces  of  il)e  cljcrubims  be.  giub  ibou  sljalt  put  tlje  mercn- 
scat  abobe  iipoit  tl^c  arli;  aub  iutlje  aih  tl^ou  sljaltput 
flje  tcstimou}T  tljat  |  sl^all  cjibe  tl)ee.  giub  tijcre  |  bill 
jTteet  bitlj  tljcc,  aub  |  b^'ill  commuuc  foitlj  lljee  from 
abobe  tbe  mcrcn-scat,  from  bctducu  tbe  ifoo  cberubims 
!bl]tclj  are  iipou  tlje  arli  of  tlje  fcstimoug,  of  all  tl/iugs 
fol^iclj  I  biill  gibe  tl^ce  iit  commaubment  nuto  tlje  cljil- 
hxm  of  Israel" — Exodus,  xxv.  10 — 22. 


VII. 

The  scene  of  our  last  three  sermons  has 
lain  within  the  precincts  of  the  first  division 
of  the  tabernacle.  We  have  been  medita- 
ting within  the  Holy  Place.  The  candle- 
stick, the  table  of  shew-bread,  and  the 
golden  altar  of  incense,  have  engaged  our 
attention.  These  were  all  the  articles  of 
furniture  contained  in  that  portion  of  the 
sanctuary.  We  have  concluded  our  exami- 
nation of  this  part  of  the  sacred  structure 
We  are  now  to  pass  through  that  dark,  mys- 
terious veil, — to  enter  the  Most  Holy  Place 
— to  gaze  in  av/e-inspiring  meditation  on  the 
ark  of  the  covenant,  with  the  cloud  of  glory, 

12 


274  THE      ARK. 

the  Sliecliinah,  the  awful  symbol  of  the 
divine  presence  overshadowing  it.  It  be- 
comes us  to  approach  it  with  reverence.  The 
most  sacred  material  object  ever  framed  by 
the  hand  of  man  is  to  engage  our  attention. 
We  seem  to  hear  the  voice  of  God  address- 
ed to  each  of  us,  saying,  as  it  did  to  Moses 
at  the  bush — ■"  Put  off  thy  shoes  from  off 
thy  feet,  for  the  place  whereon  thou  stand- 
est  is  holy  ground." 

Before  entering  the  Most  Holy  Place, 
however,  to  examine  the  ark  in  detail,  let  us 
just  glance  at  the  position  it  occupied  in 
the  camp  of  Israel,  both  when  the  camp  was 
at  rest,  and  when  in  motion.  The  appear- 
ance of  the  camp  at  rest  we  considered  in 
our  opening  discourse.  That  encampment, 
constituted  an  oblong  square,  extending, 
probably,  twelve  miles  on  each  side.  The 
tabernacle  was  sot  up  in  the  centre  of  this 
encampment,  and    the    ark  constituted  tho 


THE      AliK,  275 

great  central  object  of  interest  and  attrac- 
tion in  the  tabernacle. 

But  when  the  cloud  moved  from  over  the 
ark,  giving  the  silent  order  of  march,  the 
aspect  of  things  was  entirely  changed.  The 
camp  in  motion  presented  a  very  strikhig 
contrast  to  the  camp  at  rest.  Let  us  sup- 
pose that  this  silent  order  has  been  given. 
The  tabernacle  is  taken  down.  Its  different 
parts  are  covered  up,  put  in  marching  con- 
dition, and  assigned  to  the  different  branches 
of  the  family  of  Aaron  charged  with  the 
care  of  them.  Then  the  line  of  march  is 
taken  in  the  following  order  :  First,  in  sol- 
emn silence,  the  mysterious  cloud  goes  be- 
fore them  to  point  out  the  way.  Then  Judah 
leads  the  van,  followed  by  the  tribes  of 
Issachar  and  Zebulon,  making  an  liTmy  of 
more  than  180,000.  Immediate;/  after 
these  come  six  wagons,  under  tho  care  of 
Gershon  and  Merari,  the  sons  of  Illuima^. 


276  THE      ARK. 

Two  of  these  wagons  contain  the  covenngg 
of  the  tabernacle,  and  the  curtains  of  the 
court  that  surrounds  it.  The  other  four 
contain  the  golden  boards,  the  silver  sock- 
ets, and  golden  pillars  of  the  tabernacle,  and 
the  court  attached  to  it.  Then  follow  the 
tribes  of  Reuben,  Simeon,  and  Gad,  150,000 
strong.  After  these,  borne  upon  the  shoul- 
ders of  the  Kohathites,  come  all  the  sacred 
furniture  of  the  tabernacle,  in  charge  of  six 
different  companies.  First  is  the  ark ;  then 
the  golden  altar  of  incense ;  then  the  can- 
dlestick ;  then  the  table  of  shew-bread ; 
then  the  laver  and  the  smaller  golden  ves- 
sels, and  lastly  the  brazen  altar.  You  will 
observe  that,  when  arranged  for  the  march, 
these  sacred  articles  w^ere  disposed  in  an 
order  directly  the  reverse  of  that  which  they 
occupied  when  the  camp  w\as  at  rest.  After 
these  came  the  tribes  of  Ephraim,  Benja- 
min, and  Mana^sah,  numbering  upwards  of 


THE      ARK.  277 

lOSjOOO  men.     The  rear  guard  of  the  host 
was  Ibrmed  by  the  tribes  of  Dan,  Asher, 
and  Naphtali,    consisting  of  157,000  men. 
This  was  the  order  uniformly  observed  in 
marching.     The  general  position  of  the  ark 
was  in  the   centre  of  the  advancing  host. 
There  were   but   two    exceptions   to   this, 
throughout  the  whole   course  of  their  long 
pilgrimage.     These  exceptions  are  found  at 
the  commencement,  and  at  the  close  of  their 
wanderings.     The   first    of  these    occurred 
when  the  nation  began   their   march  from 
Sinai.     There  we  find  Moses  trying  to  per- 
suade Hobab,  his  father-in-law,   to  go  with 
them,  and  he  urged  his  request  by  the  plea 
that  he  knew  the  way  through   the   wilder- 
ness, and  ^^  might   be    to   them  instead  of 
eyesT     Immediately  after  this  we  read  that 
"  the  ark  of  the  covenant  of  the  Lord  went 
before  them  to  search  out  a  resting  place  for 
them."     Numb,  x  ,  33.     It  would   seem  as 


278  THE      ARK. 

if  God  had  altered  the  usual  order  of  march 
on  this  occasion,  and  had  sent  the  ark  in 
advance  of  the  host  on  purpose  to  reprove 
Moses  for  his  want  of  faith.  AYhat  need 
was  there  of  the  eyes  of  Hohab,  or  any  other 
created  being,  to  spy  out  their  way  when 
God  Himself  was  their  Leader  and  Guide  ? 
And  then  again,  at  the  close  of  their  long 
wanderings,  when  Jordan  was  to  be  crossed, 
God  sent  the  ark  before  them.  It  was  at 
its  approach  that  the  overflowing  waters  of 
the  river  divided  in  the  midst,  and  opened 
up  a  way  for  the  ransomed  of  the  Lord  to 
pass  over.  And  the  ark  remained  in  the 
bed  of  the  stream  till  all  the  multitudes  of 
the  wandering  tribes  had  crossed  in  safety, 
as  if  to  show  us,  when  Jordan  is  considered 
as  a  figure  or  type  of  death,  that  the  time, 
the  place,  and  all  the  circumstances  of  that 
event  are  controlled  by  the  covenant  of 
grace,  of  which   this  ark  was  the   symbol. 


THE      ARK.  279 

And  as  we  think  of  the  ark,  standing  mid 
way  in  the  emptied  channel  of  the  river, 
holding  in  check  the  tumultuous,  threaten- 
ing floods,  and  securing  the  entire  safety  of 
the  overpassing  multitudes  of  God's  people, 
we  have  before  us  a  beautiful  illustration  of 
the  Psalmist's  words,  when  he  declares — 
"  Precious  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  is  the 
death  of  his  saints." 

But  let  us  proceed  with  our  subject.  We 
are  to  pass  within  the  veil,  and  meditate  on 
the  ark  of  the  covenant,  as  it  stands  in  the 
Most  Holy  Place,  resplendent  with  the  glory 
that  shines  upon  it  from  the  mysterious 
overshadowing  Shechinah.  And  to  take  in 
the  subject  in  all  its  '  arings,  our  attention 
will  be  directed  to  ^  several  points,  only  a 
part  of  which  c  .1  engnge  our  meditations 
on  the  present  jccasion.  We  shall  consider 
in  the  first  fMce,  the  veil,  hj  which  the  ark 
vjas  hidden  from  view.     Secondly,  the  jdace  in 


280  THE      ARK. 

tuJiich  the  arJc  stood,  called  the  3fost  Uohj 
Place.  Tldrdhj,  the  structure  of  the  arJc, 
Fourthly,  its  contents.  Fifthli/,  the  cheruhim 
which  overshadoived  it ;  and  lastly,  the  mercij' 
seat,  luitli  its  irradiating  glory. 

We  begin  then  by  considering  the  veil  by 
which  the  ark  was  hid,  and  which  separated 
the  Holy  Place  from  the  Most  Holy. 

A  thick  heavy  veil  of  tapestry,  beautiful- 
ly wrought  with  flowers  and  cherubim,  was 
that  which  shut  in  the  ark,  and  divided  the 
tabernacle  into  two  parts.  Blue,  purple, 
and  scarlet  were  the  colors  blended  in  this 
veil.  Josephus  says  of  it :  ''  This  veil  was 
very  ornamental,  and  embroidered  with  all 
sorts  of  flowers  which  the  earth  produces, 
and  there  was  interwoven  into  it  all  sorts  of 
variety  that  might  be  an  ornament."  This 
veil  of  the  tabernacle  was  the  same  as  that 
which  subsequently  hung  in  the  temple,  and 
was  rent  in  twain  when  our  Lord  expired 


THE      ARK.  281 

oix  the  cross.  We  may  look  at  it  from  two 
points  of  view,  considering  what  it  s?/mholised 
when  it  tuas  an  iinrcnt  veil,  and  what  the 
rending  of  it  signifies. 

The  unrent  vei]  was  a  symbol  of  darJcness 
and  difficulty.  To  the  Jew,  it  shut  out  his 
view  of  heavenly  things,  and  obstructed  his 
way  of  approach  to  them.  That  veil  was  a 
concealing  thing.  Ail  that  stood  behind  it 
was  effectually  hidden  from  sight.  But  that 
Most  Holy  Place  represented  heaven.  And 
thus,  by  the  unre-i  veil,  as  St.  Paul  says  : 
"  The  Holy  Ghust  this  signified,  that  the 
way  into  the  holiest  of  all  was  not  yet  made 
manifest."  Heb.  ix.,  8.  Very  little  was 
known  under  the  former  dispensation  of  the 
things  of  the  heavenly  world.  The  veil 
which  hung  over  them  could  not  be  penetra- 
ted. The  children  of  God  tried  indeed  to 
peer  through  its  thick  folds  with  the  eye  of 
faith ,  and  catch  feeble  glimpses  of  what  lay 


282  THE      ARK. 

beyond.  Nor  were  these  efforts  wholly 
unavailing.  Enoch,  in  the  far  off  darkness 
of  antediluvian  ages,  had  a  view  of  Christ's 
second  coming  to  judgment.  Job  knew  that 
his  Eedeemer  lived,  and  that  in  his  flesh,  a 
partaker  of  his  nature,  he  should  yet  see 
God.  Abraham,  and  the  patriarchs,  looked 
for  a  city  that  hath  foundations,  whose 
builder  and  maker  is  God."  David  trusted 
to  his  covenant  God  to  guide  and  support 
him  through  the  dark  valley  of  the  shadow 
of  death,  and  show  him  the  path  of  life. 
Thus  these  holy  men  of  old  had  glimpses  of 
heavenly  things.  Yet  they  were  but  dimly 
seen.  They  were  emphatically  "  things 
v/ithin  the  veil."  That  unrent  veil  was  a 
darkening  thing.  It  was  at  the  same  time 
an  ohstruding  thing.  It  barred  the  entrance 
to  the  heavenly  place.  The  holiest  and  best 
of  God's  peoj^le  could  not  pass  within  that 
veil.     The   High-priest  alone  might  enter, 


THE      ARK.  283 

and  lie  but  once  a  year.  The  people  knew, 
as  lie  disappeared  from  their  sight,  that  he 
was  before  the  ark,  sprinkling  the  blood,  and 
waving  the  incense,  and  presenting  his 
prayers  in  their  behalf  They  knew  that 
his  eyes  looked  upon  all  the  hallowed  things 
that  were  there,  but  they  could  not  enter  in 
to  see  and  to  pray  for  themselves.  When 
Adam  was  driven  forth  from  Paradise  we 
read  that  at  the  entrance  to  that  happy 
place  from  which  he  was  expelled,  God 
caused  to  be  placed—"  Cherubim  and  a  flam- 
ing sword,  which  turned  every  way  to  keep 
the  way  of  the  tree  of  life."  And  this  idea 
is  still  kept  up  when  we  see  that  veil,  cov- 
ered over  with  figures  of  the  cherubim,  and 
hanging  down  before  the  Jew  to  warn  him 
off  from  all  approach  to  the  great  central 
source  of  life  and  light.  Thus  the  unreut 
veil  was  a  darJcening,  and  an  obstructing  thing. 
But  what  does  the  rent  veil  signify  ?  of 


284  THE      ARK. 

course  the  opposite  of  that  which  the  unrent 
veil  represented.  If  the  veil  unrent  was 
designed  to  cover,  or  hide,  the  rent  veil  is 
designed  to  disclose  or  reveal.  If  the  one 
was  a  symbol  of  darkness,  the  other  is  the 
emblem  of  light.  And  Jesus,  we  know, 
came  as  ^Hhe  light  of  the  world."  He  is 
the  revealer  of  secrets,  the  unraveller  of 
mysteries.  He  "brought  hfe  and  immor- 
tahty  to  light  by  the  gospel."  He  came  to 
^'  tell  us  plainly  of  the  Father."  And  ^loiv, 
his  people  have  "  an  unction  from  the  Holy 
One,  and  know  all  ihingsr  Through  the 
rent  veil  of  Christ's  flesh  the  light  and  glory 
cf  the  upper  sanctuary  shine  forth,  and  "  in 
His  light  they  see  light."  Thus  the  rent 
veil  proclaims  to  us  that  "  the  darkness  is 
past,  and  the  true  light  now  shineth." 

But  then  it  also  signifies  the  removal  of 
ohstrudmis  as  well  as  the  dispelling  of  dark- 
ness.    All  liindrances  are  taken  out  of  the 


THE       ARK.  285 

way  of  access  to  the  mercy-seat.  There  is 
no  longer  any  covering  veil,  any  interposing 
barrier.  What  none  but  the  High-Priest 
could  do,  under  the  Jewish  economy,  all 
God's  people  may  do  now.  And  what  even 
he  could  do  but  once  a  year,  they  may  do 
at  all  times.  They  can  "enter  into  the 
holiest  by  the  blood  of  Jesus."  The  way  to 
the  mercy-seat  lies  open  at  all  times,  and 
"  whosoever  will "  may  come  and  find  mercy 
and  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need.  But  it 
is  not  only  the  way  of  access  to  the  mercy- 
seat  by  faith  now,  which  this  rent  veil  indi- 
cates. It  does  more  than  that.  "  The  veil 
is  rent,"  says  the  eloquent  Melville,  "to 
show  that  the  Mediator  made  a  passage  into 
heaven,  but  in  nothing  does  He  act  for  him- 
self alone.  We  rose  with  him  ;  we  ascend- 
ed with  him ;  and  therefore  is  the  rending 
of  the  veil  as  much  a  pledge  of  our  admis- 
sion as  of  his,  who,  by  the  ef&ciency  of  his 


286  THE      ARK. 

sacrifice,  provided  for  our  being  not  only 
sons  of  God,  but  joint  heirs  with  himself. 
The  veil  is  rent.  Then,  with  it  should  be 
rent  away  all  doubt,  and  all  unbelief.  The 
door  of  heaven,  the  way  of  access  to  God's 
glorified  presence  hereafter,  as  well  as  to  his 
gracious  presence  now,  is  thrown  ojjen  by  the 
work  of  mediation.  We  may  not  only  draw 
nigh  to  God  now  in  prayer,  but  we  shall 
draw  nigh  to  Him  hereafter  in  person.  We 
sh nil  rise  from  the  dust;  we  shall  tread  the 
firmament ;  we  shall  enter  by  the  gates  of 
pearl,  and  we  shall  walk  the  streets  of  gold. 
Blessed  be  God  for  this  rent  veil !  Like  a 
window  opened  in  the  sky,  there  have  come 
forth  through  it  the  shinings  of  eternity,  the 
promises  of  immortality,  rich  and  lively- 
visions  of  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in 
light." 

And  these  are  the  lessoas  we  gather  from 
the  veil  that  hangs  before  the  ark. 


THE      ARK.  287 

But  now  we  pass  within  this  veil,  and 
consider  as  our  second  point — the  place  in 
which  the  arJc  stood. 

How  well  may  our  spirits  feel  unwonted 
awe  come  over  them,  as  we  enter  the  hallow- 
ed precincts  of  this  inner  shrine  of  the  sanc- 
tuary. In  a  higher  sense  than  that  in  which 
Jacob  used  the  language  as  he  awoke  from 
his  dream,  we  may  say  in  truth, — "  This  is 
none  other  than  the  house  of  God,  and  this 
is  the  gate  of  heaven  !"  Nay,  not  only  the 
ga^e  of  heaven,  but,  as  it  were,  heaven  it- 
self This  is  the  audience  chamber  of  the 
King  of  kings.  "  He  who  inhabiteth  eterni- 
ty, and  the  praises  thereof,  whose  name  is 
holy,"  established  his  abode  and  manifested 
his  presence  here.  This  circumstance  tended 
to  make  this  department  of  the  tabernacle 
the  most  solemn  and  sacred  spot  within  the 
confines  of  our  globe.  And  everything 
about  it  was  in  keeping  with  this  character, 


288  THE      ARK. 

Look  at  li^form.  This  was  tliat  of  a  cube. 
The  exact  dimensions  of  this  part  of  the 
sanctuary  are  not  given.  But  in  the  tem- 
ple, which  Solomon  subsequently  built,  at 
Jerusalem,  the  Most  Holy  Place,  as  we  are 
distinctly  informed,  was  cubical  in  its  form, 
being  twenty  cubits,  or  thirty  feet  in  each 
direction — the  height,  and  the  length,  and 
the  breadth  of  it  being  equal.  And  as  the 
temple,  in  its  essential  features,  was  fashion- 
ed after  the  tabernacle,  so  as  to  be  conformed 
to  "the  pattern  showed  to  Moses  in  the 
Mount,"  there  can  be  no  question  but  that 
the  same  proportion  in  regard  to  the  dimen- 
sions of  the  Most  Holy  Place  existed  in 
them  both.  The  dimensions  of  this  part  of 
the  tabernacle  were  those  of  a  cube.  The 
measure  of  its  sides,  its  ceiling,  and  its 
floor  was  all  the  same.  The  cube  is  the 
most  perfect  of  all  forms,  the  natural  em- 
blem of  perfection.     And  it  was  very  ap- 


THE       AKK.  289 

propriate  that  this  hallowed  place, — the 
type,  or  emblem  of  heaven,  should  have  this 
feature  stamped  upon  it.  And  it  is  worthy 
of  note  that  the  city  which  the  prophet 
Ezekiel  saw  in  vision, — probably  designed 
to  represent  the  earthly  Jerusalem,  as  it  will 
exist  in  the  Millennial  and  everlasting  age 
of  our  world — was  in  the  form  of  a  cube. 
And  the  still  more  glorious  cit}^  which  St. 
John  saw  in  the  Apocalyptic  vision,  the 
iN'ew  Jerusalem,  the  most  finished  and  elabo- 
rate symbol  of  the  heavenly  state,  which  the 
scriptures  furnish,  was  a  city  cubical  in  its 
form.  "  The  length,  and  the  breadth,  and 
the  h eighth  of  it  were  equal." 

And  as  ihefo7^m  of  this  place  denoted  its 
perfection,  so  did  the  material  of  which  it 
was  composed.  Gold,  pure  gold  was  the 
material.  This  met  the  eye  on  every  side. 
Gold  is  the  purest  and  most  precious  of  the 
metals.     In  its  Avav,  too,  9:old  stands  as  the 


290  THE      ARK. 

symbol  of  perfection.  When  we  say  of  a 
thing  that  it  reaches  the  (/olden  stage,  we 
say  that  which  expresses  the  highest  idea 
of  its  development.  Human  vocabularies 
have  no  stronger  terms  to  furnish.  Human 
experience  or  thought  cannot  carry  us  be- 
yond this.  And  so  this  golden  chamber  of 
the  tabernacle,  as  Ave  gaze  upon  the  radi- 
ance of  its  glittering  walls,  stands  before  us 
a  silent,  but  most  significant  type  of  the 
perfection  of  that  heavenly  abode  whose 
gates  are  pearl ;  whose  streets  arc  gold — 
yes,  and  that,  too,  transj^ai^ent  gold ;  whose 
streams  are  crystal,  and  whose  foundations 
are  of  all  manner  of  precious  stones. 

This  beautiful  apartment  of  the  taberna- 
cle,   how   apt   an   emblem   it  wa'<    of  that- 
iieavenly  Zion  which  is  the  per^  action  of 
beauty  ! 

"  Beautiful  Zion,  built  above  ! 
Beautiful  cit^^ — ^home  of  love  I 


THE      aRK.  291 

Beautiful  gates  of  pearly  ^A'hite ! 
Beautiful  temple,  God  its  light ! 

Beautiful  crowns  ou  every  brow  ! 
Beautiful  palms  the  conquerors  show  ! 
Beautiful  robes  the  ransomed  wear ! 
Beautiful  all  who  enter  there! 

Beautiful  throne  for  God  the  Lamb  I 
Beautiful  seats  at  God's  right  hand  ! 
Beautiful  rest!  all  wanderings  cease! 
Beautiful  home  of  perfect  peace !" 

And  then  \hQ  furniture  of  this  hallowed 
place  spoke  the  same  language.  This  told 
of  perfection  too.  And  what  was  this  ? 
One  object  alone  met  the  eye  here.  This 
was  that  great  central  object  of  interest  in 
this  whole  sacred  structure, — that  keystone 
of  this  arch, — that  sun  in  the  midst  of  this 
grand  system, — that  gem  in  the  heaven- 
formed  ring  of  these  hallowed  services, — ■ 
the  arJc  of  the  covenant,  St.  Paul  indeed 
speaks  of  the  "golden  censer"  as  belong- 
ing to  this  Most  Holy  Place ;  and  some  have 


292  THE      ARK. 

felt  at  a  loss  how  to  explain  this,  knowing 
as  we  do  that  the  golden  altar,  with  its  in- 
cense, belonged  clearly  to  the  other  division 
of  the  tabernacle.  But  there  is  really  no 
difficulty  in  the  case  at  all.  The  golden 
censer  was  not  a  part  of  the  furniture  of 
this  portion  of  the  sanctuary.  Its  appoint- 
ed place  was  on  the  golden  altar  in  the  Holy 
Place.  But  when  the  High-priest,  on  the 
great  day  of  atonement,  made  his  annual 
visit  within  the  veil,  he  carried  the  golden 
censer  with  him.  Its  fragrant  perfume  then 
pervaded  every  part  of  that  most  sacred 
spot,  and  rose  up  in  graceful  clouds  before 
the  ark.  But  on  his  return,  he  carried  the 
censer  with  him.  That  was  not  its  perma- 
nent place.  The  ark  alone  luas  there.  Of 
the  contents  of  the  ark  we  shall  speak  in 
another  place.  There  was  nothing  in  the 
Most  Holy  Place  but  what  was  contained  in 
the  ark.       How  significant  this  was  !      Tho 


THE      ARK.  293 

place  we  are  considering  denotes  heav^en.- 
The  ark  which  stands  in  it,  as  the  sole  ob- 
ject of  interest  and  attraction  there,  is  an 
emblem  of  Christ.  And  as  there  was  noth- 
ing in  the  Most  Holy  Place  but  what  was 
contained  in  the  ark,  so  in  heaven  there  is 
nothing  on  which  the  eye  of  the  ransomed 
will  rest,  and  nothing  that  their  souls  can 
4  need,  but  what  is  in  Christ.  The  very  radi- 
ance which  lighted  up  this  hallowed  spot, 
and  revealed  its  unearthly  glories,  was, — 
not  the  light  of  the  sun,  no,  nor  even  the 
rays  from  the  golden  candlestick  in  the  Holy 
Place — but  that  which  was  ever  shinim^ 
forth  from  the  mysterious  shechinah,  that 
encircled  and  hovered  over  the  ark.  What 
a  sweet  shadowing  forth  of  heavenly  reali- 
ties we  have  here  !  David  was  grasping  the 
very  substance  of  this  precious  truth  when 
his  loving  heart  went  out  in  earnest  longings 
after  his  Saviour  God,  as  he  asked — "  Whom 


294  THE      ARE. 

have  I  in  heaven  but  Thee  ?  and  there  is 
none  uj^on  earth  that  I  desire  in  comparison 
with  Thee."  "  Complete  in  Him "  is  what 
the  ark.  as  the  sole  and  all-com2)rehending 
object,  existing  in  the  Most  Holy  Place,  pro- 
claims, with  silent  eloquence,  as  the  rela- 
tion of  the  believing  soul  to  Christ  in  heaven. 
The  rest  of  heaven  is  rest  in  Christ.  The 
righteousness  of  heaven  is  righteousness  in 
Christ.  The  joy  of  heaven  is  joy  in  Christ. 
The  light  of  heaven  is  light  in  Christ.  Yea, 
says  the  apostle,  as  he  gazes  delightedly  on 
the  vision  before  him — "  For  the  Lamb  is 
the  light  thereof."  The  title  to  heaven  is  a 
title  in  Christ.  The  glory  of  heaven  is  glory 
in  Christ.  ''  Father,  I  will  that  they  also 
whom  thou  hast  given  me  be  w^ith  me  where. 
I  am,  that  they  may  behold  my  glory." 
What  a  precious,  comprehensive,  enduring 
truth  the  apostle  declares  wdien  he  affirms 
that   "  Christ  is  all  and  in  all."     Whether 


THE      ARK.  295 

in  the  church  below,  or  in  the  church  above, 
it  is  a  truth  now,  and  will  remain  a  truth 
forever,  that  "  in  Him  all  fulness  dwells." 
The  believing  soul  looks  up  to  Jesus  with 
adoring   gratitude,    and  sajs : 

"  Wherever  Thou  art  is  heaven  to  me. 
And  heaven  without  Thee — cannot  be !" 

These  are  the  precious  thoughts  suggest- 
ed by  the  place  in  which  the  ark  stood. 

The  third  ]point  we  vjere  to  notice  calls  lis  to 
consider  the  structure  of  the  ark. 

Like  most  of  the  other  parts  of  the  fur- 
niture of  the  tabernacle,  the  structure  of  the 
ark  was  plain  and  simple.  It  consisted 
merely  of  a  square  box  or  chest.  Its  length 
was  two  cubits  and  a  half,  or  thxee.feet 
eleven  inches.  Its  breadth  and  height  each 
one  cubit  and  a  half,  or  two  feet  seven 
inches.  The  materials  of  which  it  was  com- 
posed, as  with  most  of  the  other  articles  of 


296  THE      AEK. 

the  tabernacle  furniture,  were  the  shittim  or 
acacia  wood  and  gokl.  It  was  called  "  the 
ark  of  the  covenant/'  or  of  the  testimony, 
because  it  contained  the  law,  written  on  ta- 
bles of  stone,  which  law  was  God's  testimo- 
ny to  man,  respecting  his  duty,  and  the 
keeping  of  which,  on  the  part  of  Christ, 
became  the  ground  of  the  covenant  of  grace 
to  men.  And  for  this  reason  Christ  is  said 
to  be  "given /or  a  covenant  of  the  people." 
The  ark  was  hollow.  The  top,  or  lid  that 
covered  it  was  moveable.  At  each  end  were 
two  rings,  in  v»diich  Vv^ere  inserted  the  staves 
by  which  it  was  carried.  Around  the  top 
there  was  a  rim  or  crown;  and  from  the 
ends  of  it  cherubim  arose,  whose  outspread 
wings  met,  as  if  in  overshadowing  embrace, 
above  the  mercy  seat. 

This  ark  was  a  symbol  of  Christ.  The 
constituent  parts  of  it  seemed  to  represent 
the  two  natures  of  our  Saviour,     The  wood 


THE      ARK.  297 

of  the  ark  aptly  emblemized  the  human  na- 
ture of  Christ.  The  tree  from  yrhich  this 
'wood  was  obtained  had  its  growth  in  the 
wilderness.  And  so  in  the  development  of 
his  humanity,  it  was  declared  of  Christ  that 
''  He  should  grow  up  like  a  root  out  of  a  dry 
ground."  The  acacia  wood  was  incorrupti- 
ble. It  was  not  subject  to  decay.  The  ark 
which  Moses  built  in  the  wilderness  had 
lasted  for  a  thousand  years,  before  it  was 
carried  captive  to  Babylon,  and  it  was  then 
in  a  state  of  excellent  preservation.  And 
it  is  just  so  with  the  humanity  of  Christ. 
That  humanity  experienced  no  decay  in  life  ; 
it  was  the  subject  of  none  in  death.  He 
saw  no  corruption  in  the  grave.  He  will 
see  none  forever.  The  humanity  of  Christ 
has  now  been  for  near  2,000  years  seated  at 
the  right  hand  of  the  throne  of  God ;  the 
weight  of  universal  government  has  rested 
on  it  \  the  radiance  of  heaven's  glory  has 


298  THE      ARK. 

beamed  around  it,  yet  still  its  energy  is  un- 
decayed,  its  beauty  undiminished.      And  so 
it  will  remain  through  all  the  ages    of  eter 
nity.    Thus  the  wood  of  the  ark  represented 
the  humanity  of  Christ. 

And  in  like  manner  tJie  gold  of  the  arJc 
reioresented  Jiis  divinity.  Gold  is  the  most 
precious  of  all  the  metals ;  and  so  Christ  is 
the  most  precious  of  all  possible  beings. 
Gold  bears  a  high  polish.  It  never  rusts. 
It  is  the  most  beautiful,  as  well  as  the  most 
precious  of  all  the  metals.  And  this  is  em- 
phatically true  of  Christ.  He  is  "  the 
brightness  of  the  Father's  glory  and  the 
express  image  of  his  person."  He  is  "  the 
chief  among  ten  thousand,  and  altogether 
lovely."  And  as  these  two  substances,  the 
wood  and  the  gold,  blended  together  to  form 
the  ark,  so,  in  the  language  of  our  second 
article — these  "  two  whole  and  perfect  na- 
tures, that  is  to  say,  the  Godhead  and  the 


THE      ARK.  299 

manliood,  were  joined  together  in  one  per- 
son, never  to  be  divided,  whereof  is  one 
Christ,  very  God,  and  very  man."  lie  was 
"  God  manifest  in  the  flesh."  And  as  we 
trace  the  course  of  our  blessed  Lord  from 
the  manger  to  the  cross,  it  is  interesting  to 
notice  the  many  evidences  that  appear  of 
the  existence  of  these  blended  natures.  It 
is  the  humanity  that  appears  in  the  infant 
of  a  day  lying  in  a  manger.  It  is  the  di- 
vinity which  is  recognized  in  the  attendant 
song  of  the  angels,  and  in  the  adoring  wor- 
ship of  the  shepherds  and  the  wise  men. 
It  was  the  humanity  which  appeared  when 
Jesus  submitted  to  receive  the  water  of 
baptism  from  the  hands  of  John  the  Baptist 
in  the  river  Jordan.  It  was  the  divinity 
which  was  owned  when  the  Spirit  descended 
on  him  in  the  form  of  a  dove,  and  the  voice 
was  heard  from  the  throne  of  the  Father, 
saying, — "  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom 


300  THE      ARK. 

I  am  well  pleased."  The  liumanitj  was  seen 
when  he  sat  down,  weary  with  toil,  to  rest 
himself  by  Jacob's  w^ell;  the  divinity  dis- 
played itself  when  he  read  and  revealed  the 
secret  thoughts  of  the  woman  of  Samaria, 
and  by  his  mighty  power  made  her,  then  and 
there,  a  child  of  God.  The  humanity  was 
proved  when,  in  crossing  the  sea  of  Galilee, 
he  lay  down  in  the  hinder  part  of  the  ship, 
overpowered  by  his  unceasing  labors,  and 
sank  into  unconscious  slumber ;  the  divinity 
shone  forth,  how  gloriously  !  when  he  arose 
in  all  his  majesty,  and  rebuked  the  winds 
and  the  sea,  and  imniediately  there  was  a 
great  calm.  The  humanity  of  Jesus  was 
attested  when,  as  he  hung  upon  the  cross, 
he  exclaimed,  "  I  thirst ;"  but  it  was  to  his 
divinity  that  the  dying  thief  appealed  when 
he  prayed — "  Lord  remember  me  when  thou 
comest  into  thy  kingdom ;"  and  that  divin- 
ity burst  forth  resplendently,  like  the  sun 


THE      AUK.  301 

from  behind  a  dark  cloud,  when  the  expiring 
Saviour  responded  to  that  prayer,  saying, — 
"  To-day  thou  shalt  be  with  me  in  Paradise." 
And  as  we  gaze  on  these  strange  blendings 
of  the  human  and  the  divine  in  Jesus,  we  are 
but  beholding  marvellous  illustrations  of  what 
the  structure  of  the  ark  sets  before  us,  when 
we  see  the  wood  and  the  gold  so  mingled  in 
its  make. 

The  fourth  and  last  division  of  our  subject 
to  luhich  we  shall  now  direct  attention  is  the 

CONTENTS  OF  THE  APwK. 

When  St.  Paul  is  speaking  of  these  in 
Heb.  ix.  4,  he  mentions  in  his  catalogue  of 
the  things  contained  in  the  ark,  "  the  golden 
pot  that  had  manna,  and  Aaron's  rod  that 
budded,  and  the  tables  of  the  covenant." 
There  is  a  discrepancy  between  this  account 
and  that  found  in  I.  Kings,  viii.  9,  and  II. 
Chron.  v.  x.  Here  we  are  told  distinctly 
that  "  there  was  nothing  in  the  ark  save  the 


302  THE      ARK. 

two  tables  of  stone  which  Moses  put  there 
at  Horeb."  Here  you  perceive  that  the 
golden  pot  of  manna,  and  Aaron's  rod,  that 
budded,  are  not  mentioned  among  its  con- 
tents. The  question  is,  how  are  we  to  re- 
concile these  two  apparently  conflicting 
statements  ?  This  is  very  easily  done,  sim- 
ply, by  considering  the  accounts  as  referring 
to  two  very  different  periods,  in  the  history 
of  the  ark.  St.  Paul's  account,  in  the  He- 
brews, describes  the  contents  of  the  ark 
during  the  wanderings  of  the  Israelites  in 
the  wilderness,  or  w^hile  the  tabernacle  was 
still  existing.  But  the  account  of  the  ark 
in  Kings  and  Chronicles  speaks  of  its  con- 
tents when  the  wilderness  had  been  passed 
through,  the  promised  land  had  been  entered, 
and  the  temple  had  been  built.  Now  the 
ark,  in  its  journeyings  through  the  wilder- 
ness, represents  the  state  of  the  church  in 
this  present  w)rld.     The  ark  at  rest,  in  the 


THE      AKK.  303 

temple  at  Jerusalem,  represents  the  state  of 
the  Church  in  the  glory  of  the  heavenly 
world.  It  is  very  natural  and  suggestive 
then  that  there  should  have  been  a  differ- 
ence between  the  contents  of  the  ark  in  these 
two  stages  of  its  history.  In  the  wilder- 
ness, corresponding  to  the  present  condition 
of  the  Church  in  the  world,  the  manna  was 
absolutely  necessary  to  the  support  and 
comfort  of  the  people,  and  so  were  also  the 
ministrations  of  an  earthly  priesthood  of  the 
order  of  Aaron.  Hence  the  budded  rod, 
which  denoted  that  priesthood,  and  the 
golden  pot  of  manna  were  in  the  ark  then. 
But  as  the  manna  ceased  when  Canaan  was 
entered, — so  when  heaven  is  reached,  the 
state  represented  by  the  ark  in  the  temple 
in  Solomon's  days,  Christ  will  be  Himself 
the  only  food,  and  the  only  priest  his  peoj)le 
will  need.  It  is  not  surprising  then  to  hear 
it  said  of  the   ark  during  the  stage  of  its 


304  THE      AKK. 

History  which  represents  this  state, — that 
'^  there  was  nothing  in  the  ark  save  the  two 
tables  of  stone  which  Moses  put  there  at 
Iloreb."  While  in  the  wilderness  the  seve- 
ral things  mentioned  by  St.  Paul  were  all 
there ;  in  the  days  of  Solomon  the  tables 
of  stone  on  which  the  law  was  VvTitten  were 
all  that  the  ark  contained.  Whether  the 
things  withdrawn  from  the  ark  were  removed 
by  design,  by  negligence,  or  violence,  is  not 
a  matter  of  much  moment.  The  important 
thing  is  that  they  were  there  at  one  period 
of  the  history  of  the  ark,  while  at  another 
period  they  were  not  there. 

The  ark  of  the  covenant  contained  at  last 
only  the  two  tables  of  the  law.  These  were 
preserved  in  the  ark.  This  was  a  very  sig-- 
nificant  fact.  It  illustrates  two  important 
truths.  It  proclaims  the  i^rfect  ligMeouS" 
7iess  and  the  absolute  security/  of  the  childrea 
of  the  covenant. 


THE      ARK.  305 

It  shows  the  perfect  rigJiteousness  of  the 
believer.  The  whole  law  was  in  the  ark. 
Those  material  tahles,  in  the  literal  ark 
point  us  to  Christ.  He  is  our  ark.  And 
the  whole  law  is  in  his  heart.  It  is  written 
there.  It  has  been  kept  by  Him.  He  came 
to  do  this.  He  delighted  to  do  it.  He  did 
do  it.  He  "magnified  the  law  and  made  it 
honorable."  In  all  the  length  and  breadth 
of  its  requirements  He  kept  it.  He  "  ful- 
filled all  righteousness."  It  was  a  steady, 
uniform,  unqualified  obedience  which  He 
rendered.  It  reached  up  to  the  highest,  and 
down  to  the  lowest,  and  out  to  the  extrem- 
est  requirement  of  the  law.  It  was  an 
obedience  which  God  weighed  in  the  finely 
adjusted  balances  of  the  heavenly  sanctuary 
and  found  not  wanting,  in  any  respect.  God 
acceptei  it,  and  was  well  pleased  with  it. 
It  vindicated  his  government;  it  honored 
his  character )  it  was  all  that  He  desired. 


306  THE      AEK. 

And  this  is  the  righteousness  in  which  the 
believer  stands  before  God.  This  is  impu- 
ted unto  him.  It  is  considered  as  his  own. 
He  is  dealt  with  by  God  as  he  would  be  if 
he  had  wi ought  out  this  righteousness  him- 
self. And  when  we  remember  how  the 
whole  law  was  kept  in  the  ark,  we  see  sig- 
nificantly symbolized,  in  this  aspect  of  it, 
the  perfect  righteousness  of  the  children  of 
the  covenant. 

But  it  also  illustrated  their  absolute  seciir- 
ity.  The  tables  of  the  law  were  broken  in 
the  hands  of  Moses,  but  kept  in  the  hands 
of  Christ.  The  security  of  the  covenant  of 
salvation,  and  of  all  who  are  embraced  by 
it^  depends  on  the  keeping  of  the  law.  Not, 
bear  in  mind,  on  the  keeping  of  the  law  by 
the  children  of  the  covenant;  that  is  an 
absolute  impossibility ;  but  on  the  keeping 
of  the  law  by  their  Head,  and  represerda- 
tive;  by  Cliritrt,  the  messenger,  the  autl'<^, 


THE      ARK.  307 

the  finisher,  the  embodiment  of  the  cove- 
nant.    And  this  is  not  a  thing  to  he  done  ;  it 
is  a  thing  already  accomplished.     It  has  been 
fully  wrought  out.     Jesus  had  this  in  his 
mind,  among  other  things,  when,  as  he  hung 
expiring  on  the  cross,  He  exclaimed, — "  It 
is  finished!'     The  thing  is   done.     It  ne\er 
can  be  undone.     The  foundation,  on  which 
the    covenant  of  salvation  rests,   has  been 
laid  broad,    deep,    and   immovable  in  the 
obedience  of  Christ, — in  the  law  as  kept  by 
Him.     This  covenant  has  been  firmly  based 
on  that  foundation.     God   has  bound  these 
two  things  together,  and  nothing  can  sepa- 
rate them.     And  this  w^e  see  indicated  by 
what  is  now  before  us.     Those  tables  of  the 
law,   preserved  unbroken  in  the  ark  of  the 
covenant,  are  the  emblem  or  pledge  of  the 
entire  safety,   the  absolute   security  of  the 
believing  soul.     Look  at  the  position  of  the 

ark.     It  stood  in  the  Ivlost  Holy  Place^ — - 
17 


308  THE      ARK. 

under  the  shadow  of  Jehovah's  outspread 
wmgs — and  surrounded  by  the  radiance  of 
his  glory.  His  eye  was  ever  ^^atching  over 
it.  His  omnipotent  arm  was  ever  stretched 
out  for  its  defense.  How  perfectly  safe  it 
was !  Child  of  the  covenant,  this  is  the 
type  of  your  security  in  Jesus  !  It  is  per- 
fect, absolute,  inviolable  security.  And  these 
are  the  thoughts  suggested  by  the  contents 
of  the  ark.  Thus  we  have  attempted  to 
gather  up  the  lessons  taught  us  by  the  four 
several  things  connected  with  the  ark  that 
have  now  passed  under  our  notice,  viz. — the 
veil  that  hung  hefore  the  ark ;  the  lolace  in 
which  the  ark  stood  ;  the  structure  of  the  ark  ; 
and  its  contents. 

In  conclusion — How  striking  are  some  of 
the  points  of  contrast  between  the  Jewish  and 
the  Christian  ark.  The  one  was  composed 
of  created  materials.  The  time  had  been 
when  the  wood  and  the  gold,  wrought  up 


THE      ARK.  309 

into  the  form  of  the  ark,  had  no  existence. 
The  other,  as  to  the  most  important  part  of 
his  being,  at  least,  was  constituted  "from 
everlasting,  from  the  beginning,  or  ever  the 
world  was."  Travel,  as  far  back  as  you  will, 
over  the  trackless  wastes  of  the  eternity 
past,  and  you  never  can  reach  the  point 
where  you  can  plant  yourself  and  say — 
"  here,  the  divinity  of  Christ,  the  most  im- 
portant element  in  the  constitution  of  our 
ark,  was  not  in  existence."  The  Jewish 
ark  was  prepared  by  human  hands.  The 
Christian  ark  was  moulded  and  built  by  the 
hands  of  a  divine  Artificer.  Hence  we  read 
that  when  the  angel  Gabriel  announced  to 
the  Virgin  Mary  the  birth  of  her  wondrous 
child,  he  said,—"  The  Holy  Ghost  shall 
come  upon  thee,  and  the  power  of  the  High- 
est shall  overshadow  thee;  therefore,  also, 
that  holy  thing  that  shall  be  born  of  thee 
shall  be  called  the  Son  of  God."      Mystery 


310  THE      ARK. 

hangs  over  the  origin  of  life,  in  all  its  de- 
velopments, it  was  to  be  expected  that  this 
mystery  should  assume  its  darkest  form  over 
that  development  of  life  in  which  the  divine 
allied  itself  to  the  human.  And  it  was  in 
reference  to  this  very  circumstance,  that 
Jesus,  anticipating  his  entrance  into  our 
world,  said  to  the  Father — "  a  body  hast 
Thou  prepai^ed  meP  It  is  true,  even  of  us, 
that  "  we  are  fearfully  and  wonderfully 
made ;"  but  it  was  incomparably  more  so  of 
Christ.  The  Jewish  ark  was  a  beautiful 
object  to  contemplate,  but  its  glory  and  its 
beauty  were  as  nothing  when  contrasted 
with  the  excelling  splendor  of  our  wondrous 
ark.  The  Jewish  ark  led  a  migratory  ex- 
istence. It  was  now  in  one  place,  and  now 
in  another.  It  once  fell  into  the  hands  of 
its  enemies,  and  was  led  by  them  into  cap- 
tivity. It  was  carried  in  triumph  into  the 
temple  of  Dagon,  treated  with  insult,  and 


THE      ARK.  311 

perhaps  robbed  of  some  of  its  treasured 
things.  Very  striking  here  is  the  contrast 
between  the  Jewish  and  the  Christian  ark. 
Christ,  our  ark,  has  abode  in  one  place.  His 
position  is  at  the  right  hand  of  the  majesty 
on  high.  For  well  nigh  two  thousand  years 
there,  He  has  remained.  And  there  He  ivill 
abide  till  the  time,  of  his  coming  and  his 
kingdom  arrives.  He  has  never  been  over- 
come by  His  enemies.  The  gates  of  hell 
have  never  prevailed  against  him.  The  con- 
tents of  the  Jewish  ark  varied  from  time  to 
time.  There  were  things  in  it  at  one  time 
which  at  another  time  had  disappeared. 
Either  the  hand  of  violence  had  robbed  it, 
or  the  hand  of  carelessness  had  neglected  it. 
But  it  is  not  so  with  our  ark.  This  is  "  the 
same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  forever."  Noth- 
ing once  embraced  in  it  can  ever  be  separa- 
ted from  it. .  All  its  precious,  treasured  con- 
tents are  secure,  beyond  the  utmost  reach 


312  THE       ARK. 

of  fraud  or  violence.  The  Jewisli  ark  of 
the  covenant  has  passed  away.  It  tvas, — 
hut  is  not.  But  our  ark  is  abiding  stilL  It 
will  abide  forever.  The  covenant  which  it 
represents  is  everlasting.  Its  lights  its  joy, 
its  grace  and  glory,  yea,  aU  its  blessings  and 
relationships  are  everlasting  too.  What  a 
glorious  shadow  the  Jewish  ark  of  the  cove- 
nant was  !  What  a  still  more  glorious  sub- 
stance the  Christian  ark  of  the  covenant  is ! 
Believers  in  Jesus  !  children  of  this  cove- 
nant !  how  well  may  you  rejoice  in  your 
portion  !  What  reason  you  have  for  abound- 
ing gladness  !  David  esteemed  the  covenant 
of  God's  grace  as  '^  all  his  salvation  and  aU 
his  desire."  But  what  did  this  covenant 
secure  to  David  which  it  will  not  secure,  as 
fully  and  effectually,  to  you  ?  Has  the  cir- 
cle of  its  benefits  been  in  any  wise  restrict- 
ed ?  No,  there  has  been  no  restriction  here  ; 
but  there  has  been  enlargement.  The  streams 


THE      ARK.  313 

of  covenant  mercies  run  broader,  and  deep- 
er, and  fuller  now  than  then.  Oh^  walk  in 
the  light  of  this  covenant.  Make  full  proof 
of  its  glorious  privileges,  and  let  your  life 
bear  witness  to  its  sufficiency;  its  exhaust- 
less  power  to  satisfy  and  bless. 

And  my  dear  hearers  who  are  not  Chris- 
tians, why  will  you  remain  unconnected 
with  this  glorious  covenant?  It  contains 
only  blessings  to  those  who  lay  hold  upon 
it.  Yes,  the  richest  and  the  choicest  bless- 
ings to  be  found  in  the  universe  are  garnered 
here.  There  are  no  real,  substantial,  abiding 
blessings  outside  of  this  covenant.  To  stand 
unconnected  with  this  covenant  is  to  stand 
unblest ! 

But  you  need  not  stand  thus  unconnected 
with  it.  God's  gracious  invitation,  even  to 
you,  is — "  Incline  your  ear,  and  come  unto 
me  ;  hear,  and  your  soul  shall  live ;  and  I  will 
make  an  everlasting  covenant  with  you ;  even 


314  THE      ARK. 

the  sure  mercies  of  David."  Is.  Iv.  3.  If 
jou  remain  unconnected  with  this  covenant 
you  will  have  only  yourself  to  blame.  Maj^ 
God  graciously  incline  you  to  hear  His 
voice,  and  come  unto  him  that  this  blessed 
covenant  may  be  "  all  your  salvation,  and 
ill  your  desire  forever  !     Amen  ! 


CHAPTEE     YIII 


**gttb  tijotr  sljalt  make  a  mcrm-scat  of  pure  golb:  tka 
cubits  aitb  a  Ijalf  sjjall  be  iljc  leitgllj  lljereof,  anb  a 
cubit  aub  a  Ijalf  tijc  brcabtjj  tljercof.  giitb  tljou  sl^alt 
make  ffao  cl^crubims  of  golb,  of  beateit  toork  sljalt  tljott 
make  tijent,  in  tl^e  tbo  tixiiB  of  llje  mercg-seat.  giub 
make  aixz  cljcrub  oix  tlje  one  eiib,  aub  tlje  otijcr  tljerub 
on  t^e  otljer  cub ;  tbm  of  llje  mercg-seat  sljall  ge  make 
tlje  cljerubims  on  tlje  tfoa  enbs  lljcrcof.  ^nh  tlje  cljeru- 
bims  sj)all  stretclj  fortlj  tljeir  kiincjs  on  I^iglj,  coberinij 
tlje  mercn-seat  foitlj  tijeir  foings,  anb  tijeir  faces  sljall 
look  one  to  anotljer;  tobarb  tlje  mercu-seat  sljall  tlje 
faces  of  tlje  cljerubims  be.  '^nii  tljou  sljalt  put  flje  mercg- 
scat  abobe  upon  tlje  ark;  anb  intlje  ark  tljou  sljalt  put 
tlje  testimong  tljat  |  sljall  gibe  tljee.  ^nh  tljerc  |  foill 
meet  bitlj  tljee,  anb  |  feill  commune  toitlj  tljec  from 
abobe  tIjc  mercg-seat,  from  bctlrrccn  tlje  tbo  cljerubims 
bjljitlj  are  upon  tlje  ark  of  tlje  testimong,  of  all  tljings 
teljiclj  I  bill  gibe  tljee  in  commanbment  unto  ilje  cljil- 
bren  of  Israel — Exodus,  xxv.  17—22. 


VII. 

In  our  previous  examination  of  this  sub- 
ject we  have  considered  the  nature  and  de- 
sign of  the  tabernacle ;  and  then,  in  detail, 
the  different  articles  of  furniture  connected 
with  it.  Our  last  discourse  was  on  the  Ark, 
the  great  central  object  of  interest  con- 
nected with  this  heaven-devised  structure. 
In  that  discourse  we  considered  the  ark  of 
the  covenant  with  reference  to  four  things 
connected  with  it,  viz.:  The  veil  which  hung 
lefore  it;  The  place  in  tvhich  it  stood;  The 
structure  of  the  ArJc,  and  its  contents.  There 
remain  two  other  points  connected  with  it  to 
be  considered,  viz.:  The  Cheruhim  above  the 
Arlh  \  and  the  Mercy-seat  with  its  glory. 


318  THE    CHERUBIM. 

The  first  of  these  will  constitute  the 
theme  of  our  present  meditation.  Let  us 
now  consider  the  cherubim  above  the  arJc. 
These  are  thus  spoken  of  in  our  text : 
"  And  thou  shalt  make  a  mercy-seat  of  pure 
gold ;  and  thou  shalt  make  two  cherubims  of 
gold,  of  beaten  work  shalt  thou  make  them,  in 
the  two  ends  of  the  mercy-seat.  And  make 
one  cherub  on  the  one  end,  and  the  other 
cherub  on  the  other  end ;  even  of  the  mercy- 
seat  shall  ye  make  the  cherubims  in  the  two 
ends  thereof.  And  the  cherubims  shall  stretch 
forth  their  wings  on  high,  covering  the 
mercy-seat  with  their  wings,  and  their  faces 
shall  look  one  to  another ;  toward  the  mercy- 
seat  shall  the  faces  of  the  cherubims  be. 
And  thou  shalt  put  the  mercy-seat  above 
upon  the  ark ;  and  in  the  ark  thou  shalt  put 
the  testimony  that  I  shall  give  thee.  And 
there  will  I  meet  with  thee,  and  will  com- 
mune with  thee  from  above  the  mercy-seat, 


THE    CHERUBIM.  319 

from  between  the  two  clierubims  wliich  are 
upon  the  ark,  of  all  things  which  I  will  give 
thee  in  commandment  unto  the  children  of 
Israel."  Now  you  will  observe  that  there 
is  no  description  here  given  as  to  the  form, 
or  appearance  of  these  cherubim,  beyond 
the  mention  of  their  faces  and  of  their 
wings.  We  are  not  informed  who  were  re- 
presented, or  what  was  intended  by  the 
cherubim.  The  widest  possible  diversity 
of  opinion  has  existed  among  bible  critics 
and  commentators  in  regard  to  the  meaning 
of  these  cherubim.  It  is  not  worth  while 
to  enter  into  any  examination,  or  enumera- 
tion of  these  multifarious  opinions.  The 
most  prevalent  idea  has  been  that  the  cheru- 
bim represented  the  angels.  Their  position 
on  the  ends  of  the  ark,  with  their  faces  to- 
wards each  other,  and  their  earnest  gaze, 
rivetted  upon  the  mercy-seat,  has  been  sup- 
posed to  afford  an  illustration  of  the  mean- 


320  THE     CHERUBIM. 

ing  of  tlie  apostle's  words,  when  speaking 
of  the  interest  manifested  by  the  angels  as 
students  of  the  mysteries  of  redemption,  he 
says — "  which  things  the  angels  desire  to 
look  into." 

But  that  it  cannot  be  the  angels,  who  are 
intended  by  these  mysterious  representa- 
tions, is  rendered  perfectly  clear  when  you 
consider  that  they  were  part  and  parcel  of 
the  ark  itself.  They  were  not  something 
placed  upon  it,  or  added  to  it,  but  they  were 
something  made  of  it,  or  for  it.  They  were 
beaten  out  of  the  very  materials  of  the  ark 
itself.  The  same  gold  which  covered  the 
mercy-seat  was  wrought  out  into  the  form 
of  the  cherubim.  This  could  have  no  sig- 
niiicancy  as  applied  to  the  angels.  They  are" 
indeed  "  ministering  spirits  unto  the  heirs 
of  salvation,"  but  they  stand  in  no  such 
intimate  relation  to  the  covenant  of  redemp- 
tion as  is  indicated  by  the  position  which 


THE     CHEIIUBIM.  321 

the  cherubim  occupied  There  can  be  no 
question  on  this  point.  It  is  not  the  angels 
who  are  represented  by  the  cherubim. 

To  whom  then,  or  to  what  do  they  refer  ? 
They  are  doubtless  to  he  regarded,  not  perhaps 
as  actual  existences  at  all,  hut  as  symhols  of 
the  glorious  qualities  or  attributes  of  Christ  our 
Saviour,  in  carrying  on  the  great  work  of  our 
redemption,  and  of  attributes  or  qualities  which 
Ms  ransomed  people  shall  share  with  him  in 
the  glory  of  his  heavenly  kingdom. 

Now  let  us  see  what  foundation  the  scrip- 
tures give  us  on  which  to  base  the  position 
here  assumed.  We  take  it  for  granted  that 
wherever  we  find  the  cherubim  spoken  of, 
or  referred  to,  in  scripture,  they  are  to  be 
regarded  as  always  denoting  the  same  order 
of  beings  or  qualities.  We  are  authorized 
then  to  bring  to  a  focus,  on  the  cherubim  of 
the  ark,  whatever  light  we  can  gather  from 


822  THE    CHERUBIM. 

other   parts    of  scripture    respecting  these 
same  sj^inbolical  representations. 

The  most  elaborate  description  of  the 
cherubim,  to  be  found  anjwhere  in  scrip- 
ture, is  that  contained  in  the  first  chapter 
of  Ezekiel,  5—14.  Here  we  read — "Also^ 
out  of  the  midst  thereof  came  the  likeness 
of  four  living  creatures."  (That  it  is  actu- 
ally the  cherubim  the  prophet  is  here  de- 
scribing is  clear  from  chap.  x.  20,  where, 
after  having  had  another  vision  of  them,  he 
winds  up  by  saying — "  This  is  the  living 
creature  that  I  saw  by  the  river  Chebar ; 
and  I  knew  that  they  were  the  cherubims.) 
Then  the  prophet  proceeds  thus  in  his  de- 
scription— "  And  this  was  their  appearance, 
they  had  the  likeness  of  a  man.  And  every 
one  had  four  faces,  and  every  one  had  four 
wings.  And  their  feet  were  straight  feet ; 
and  the  sole  of  their  feet  was  like  the  sole 
of  a  calf's  foot ;  and  they  sparkled  like  the 


THE      CHERUBIM.  323 

color  of  burnished  brass.  And  they  had 
the  hands  of  a  man  under  their  wings,  on 
their  four  sides  ;  and  they  four  had  their 
faces  and  their  wings.  Their  wings  were 
joined  one  to  another.  As  for  the  likeness 
of  their  faces,  they  four  had  the  face  of  a 
man,  and  the  face  of  a  lion  on  the  right 
side  ;  and  they  four  had  the  face  of  an  ox 
on  the  left  side ;  and  they  four  also  had  the 
face  of  an  eagle.  Thus  were  their  faces ; 
and  their  wings  were  stretched  upward  ;  two 
wings  of  every  one  were  joined  one  to 
another,  and  two  covered  their  bodies.  As 
for  the  likeness  of  the  living  creatures,  their 
appearance  was  like  burning  coals  of  fire, 
and  like  the  appearance  of  lamps ;  and  the 
fire  was  bright,  and  out  of  the  fire  went 
forth  liohtning.  And  the  living  creatures 
ran  and  returned  like  the  appearance  of  a 
flash  of  lightning." 

This  is  Ezekiel's  description  of  the  cheru* 


324  THE     CHERUBIM. 

bim.  You  can  hardly  read  it  without  hav- 
ing the  conviction  fastened  upon  your  mind 
that  it  is  a  symbol,  or  representation  of 
qualities,  or  attributes  which  the  prophet  is 
delin-eating  rather  than  of  organized  beings, 
or  actual  existences.  (A  glance  at  the 
engraving,  in  which  an  attempt  has  been 
made  to  embody  and  represent  to  the  eye, 
the  description  here  given  can  hardly  fail  to 
deepen  this  conviction.) 

But  let  us  pass  now  from  the  visions  of 
the  river  Chebar  to  those  of  the  Isle  of 
Patmos.  Here  our  eye  rests  at  once  upon 
the  following  scene,  depicted  on  the  pro- 
phetic canvas  :  Rev.  iv.  6 — 8.  "  And  .be- 
fore the  throne  there  was  a  sea  of  glass  like 
unto  crystal ;  and  in  the  midst  of  the  throne, 
and  round  about  the  thvone,  zuei^e  four  beasts, 
full  of  eyes  behind  and  before."  One  can 
never  read  this  description  without  a  feeling 
of  regret  that  our  translators  should  have 


THE     CHERUBIM.  325 

used  tlie  word  ''heast^''  here.  The  Greek 
word  ill  the  original  is  the  same  as  that  in 
the  Septuagint  version  of  Ezekiel ;  and  the 
sense  would  have  been  more  properly  given, 
if,  here,  as  in  the  former  place,  it  had  been 
rendered  by  the  phrase  '^  living  creatiirer 
In  quoting  this  passage  further  I  shall  give 
it  this  rendering  :  "  And  the  first  living 
creature  was  like  a  lion,  and  the  second  liv- 
ing creature  was  like  a  calf,  the  third  had  a 
face  as  a  man,  and  the  fourth  was  like  a 
flying  eagle.  And  the  four  living  creatures 
had  each  of  them  six  wings  about  him ;  and 
they  were  full  of  eyes  within;  and  they 
rest  not  day  and  night,  saying  holy,  holy, 
holy  Lord  God  Almighty,  which  was,  and 
is,  and  is  to  come."  Here  again  we  have 
the  cherubim  described.  These  are  nearer 
the  throne  of  Jehovah,  with  its  incumbent 
majesty,  than  those  seen  by  Ezekiel  beside 
the  liver  Chebar,  and  they  al^e  represented 


326  THE     CHERUBIM. 

as  ha^ving  six  wings  instead  of /owr  to  de- 
note the  propriety  of  having  their  persons 
more  fully  veiled  from  the  glance  of  that 
holy  eye  to  which  even  the  heavens  are  un- 
clean. And  w^hat  is  the  employment  of 
these  symbolic  creatures,  in  the  lofty  posi- 
tion which  they  occupy  ?  The  apostle  an- 
swers our  inquiry  satisfactorily.  Rev.  v. 
8  10.  "And  when  lie  had  taken  the 
book,  the  four  living  creatures,  and  four  and 
twenty  elders  fell  down  before  the  Lamb, 
having,  every  one  of  them,  harps  and  golden 
vials  full  of  odors,  which  are  the  prayers  of 
saints.  And  they  sung  a  new  song,  saying, 
Thou  art  worthy  to  take  the  book,  and  to 
open  the  seals  thereof;  for  Thou  wast  slain, 
and  hast  redeemed  us  to  God  by  thy  blood 
out  of  every  kindred,  and  tongue,  and  peo- 
ple, and  nation ;  and  hast  made  us  unto  our 
God  kings  and  priests  ;  and  we  shall  reign 
on  the  earth/'     Here  we  have  the  cherubim 


THE    CHERUBIM.  327 

again.  And  tlie  position  wliicli  they  are 
thus  represented  as  occupying  throws  a 
flood  of  light  on  the  part  of  the  subject  we 
are  now  considering.  It  goes  very  far  to 
help  us  in  the  attempt  to  answer  the  ques- 
tion, in  what  sense  are  we  to  regard  the 
cherubim  ?  It  shows  us  that  the  Cheruhim 
of  the  Tabernacle  and  Temple^  and  the  liv- 
ing creatures  of  EzeJdel  and  St.  John  are 
all  one  and  the  same  symhol.  This  s^^mbol 
does  not  represent  the  angels.  But  it  does 
represent  the  qualities,  or  attributes  of 
Christ  our  Saviour,  exercised  by  Ilim  in 
carrying  on  the  great  work  of  our  redemp- 
tion, and  which  his  people  will  share  with 
Him  in  the  glory  of  His  heavenly  kingdom. 
Now  let  us  glance  at  the  chief  of  these 
qualities  as  indicated  by  the  appearance  of 
the  cherubim.  As  already  stated,  Moses 
gives  no  particular,  or  detailed  description 
of  the  cherubim,  connected    with    the  ark> 

12 


328  THE     CHERUBIM. 

"We  are  autliorizecl,  however,  to  associate 
with  them  the  leading  features  found  in 
Ezekiel's  description.  These  are  represent- 
ed as  bearing  a  quadriform  figure,  each  hav- 
ing respectively  the  face  of  a  lion,  the  face 
of  an  ox,  the  face  of  an  eagle,  and  the  face 
of  a  man.  It  is  interesting,  too,  to  remark 
in  this  connection  that  the  fourfold  counte- 
nance of  the  living  creatures  in  Ezekiel's 
vision  formed  the  standard  of  the  tribes  in 
their  encampment  in  the  wilderness.  On 
each  side  of  the  sanctuary,  or  tabernacle  were 
situated  three  of  the  twelve  tribes.  The 
standards  of  these  several  camps  bore  the 
same  representations.  There  v/as  the  face 
of  a  lion  on  the  right  side ;  the  face  of  an 
ox  on  the  left ;  the  face  of  an  eagle  in  the 
front ;  and  the  face  of  a  man  in  tlie  rear. 
And  what  are  the  features  of  character  in- 
dicated by  these  several  faces  which  the 
cherubim  bore  ?     There   is  no  difficulty  in 


THE  SHEKIXAH  AND  CHERUBIM  ABOVE  THE  MEHCV-SE.V'-. 
Jewish  Tabernacle.  p.  328. 


THE     CHERUBIM.  329 

determining  this.  And  it  is  a  matter  of 
great  interest  to  us,  as  bearing  at  once  upon 
our  comfort  for  the  present,  and  our  hope 
for  the  future.  These  cherubims,  as  wrought 
out  of  the  gold  which  covered  the  ark,  stand 
before  us  as  representatives  of  Christ,  in  the 
leading  qualities  which  mark  His  character, 
as  lie  carries  on  the  work  of  our  redemp- 
tion. And. whatever  adds  depth  or  clear- 
ness to  our  views  of  Christ's  character  has 
to  do  directly  with  our  present  comfort. 
Again  these  cherubims  as  connected  with 
the  ark  of  the  covenant, — as  associated  in- 
timately with  Christ — and  as  placed  upon 
the  mercy-seat,  where  He  pledges  commu- 
nion and  fellowship  with  His  people,  are  re- 
presentatives of  redeemed  humanity,  in  the 
exalted  position  of  blessedness  and  glory  to 
which  it  will  eventually  be  raised  in  the 
coming  kingdom  of  the  Son  of  Man.  And 
whatever  bears  on  this  subject  has  to  do, 


330  THE      CHERUBIM. 

most  intimately,  with  our  hope  for  the  fu- 
ture. 

Let  us  look  then  at  the  qualities  indicated 
hy  the  fourfold  faces  of  the  Cheruhim. 

The  first  is  tlie  face  of  a  man.  This  stands 
before  us  as  the  natural,  and  admitted  index 
of  Jcnowledge,  or  intelligence.  And  this  we 
know  is  a  quality  or  attribute  which  Christ, 
in  his  position  as  our  Eedeemer,  the  crown- 
ing glory  of  our  ark  of  the  covenant,  pos- 
sesses in  the  fullest  measure.  ''  In  Ilim  are 
hid  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowl- 
edge." This  is  a  broad,  general  declaration 
that  covers  the  whole  subject.  But  then 
what  interesting  statements  we  have  scat- 
tered throughout  the  scriptures,  giving  us 
illustrations  in  detail  of  this  truth !  We 
have  such  illustrations  when  we  read  passa- 
ges like  these  :  "  The  Lord  knoweth  them 
that  are  his."  "  The  Lord  knoweth  the  way 
of  the  righteous."     It  was  just  this  view  of 


THE     CHERUBIM.  331 

his  Saviour's  character  on  which  David  was 
meditating  when  he  said — "  Thou  knowest 
my  down-sitting,  and  mine  uprising,  Thou 
understandeth  my  thoughts  afar  off.  Thou 
compassest  my  path,  and  my  lying  down, 
and  art  acquainted  ^iih.  all  m?/ ways ^  Again 
we  read — "  He  knoweth  our  frame,  He  re- 
memhereth  that  we  are  but  dust."  The  Lord 
knoweth  how  to  deliver  the  godly  out  of 
temptation."  In  the  language  of  the  hymn — 

"He  knows  what  fierce  temptations  are, 
For  He  lias  felt  the  same." 

In  all  these,  and  similar  passages  we  have 
sweet  and  comforting  illustrations  of  the 
knowledge  and  intelligence  of  Christ  as  an 
attribute  of  his  character  in  working  out  our 
redemption.  Believer  in  Jesus,  when  you 
read  about  "  the  face  of  a  man "  upon  the 
cheiubim,  tliink  of  it  as  referring  to  Christ, 
and  telling  yon,  in  expressive  symbol,  of  the 


66Z  THE     CHERUBIM. 

intimate  acquaintance  he  has  with  you,  the 
thorough  knowledge  he  possesses  of  all  your 
v\"ants  and  weaknesses,  and  of  everything 
that  may  be  required  to  meet  them. 

But  the  Clierubim  are  representative  of  our 
humanity/  in  its  glorified  state.  And  looking 
at  it  from  this  point  of  view  we  may  gaze 
upon  the  "  face  of  a  man  "  in  this  mysterious 
symbol  till  it  seems  to  have  a  voice  and  ut- 
terance, and  to  speak  to  us  in  eloquent  terms 
of  the  grand  disclosures,  the  marvellous  un- 
foldings,  of  what  are  now  hidden  things, 
awaiting  us  in  that  bright  world  to  which  we 
are  hastening.  Just  glance  at  some  of  the 
passages  of  God's  word  which  may  be  re- 
garded as  bearing  on  this  point, — pictorial 
illustrations  of  this  aspect  of  the  symbol' 
before  us.  "  In  thy.  light  we  shall  see 
light."  Christian,  this  passage  sets  you 
down  before  the  splendor  of  the  everlasting 
throne.     The  radiance  there  prevailing  has 


THE     CHERUBIM.  333 

chased  every  cloud  from  your  sky,  eYery 
shadow  from  your  path.  Can  you  begin  to 
imagine  what  the  scope  and  fulness  of  3^our 
knowledge  will  be  when  this  sweet  promise 
is  realized;  and  in  God's  light  you  see  light  ? 
But  I  must  quote  without  remark,  or  each 
separate  point  of  our  subject  will  be  expand- 
ing into  a  sermon.  "  The  light  of  the  moon 
shall  be  as  the  light  of  the  sun,  and  the 
light  of  the  sun  shall  be  seven-fold,  as  the 
light  of  seven  days,  in  the  day  when  the 
Lord  bindeth  up  the  breach  of  the  people, 
and  healeth  the  stroke  of  their  wound.'* 
This,  in  the  glowing  imagery  of  Isaiah's 
gorgeous  style,  is  a  promise  of  the  enlarge- 
ment of  knowledge  awaiting  God's  people 
in  the  glory  of  their  resurrection  state.  But 
we  have  the  ssnoae  truth  presented  in  the 
solidity  of  plain,  prose  statements,  as  well 
as  in  the  pomp  of  high-wrought  poetry.  The 
statement  of  our  Saviour  bears  upon  this 


334  THE     CHERUBIM. 

point  Tvlien  He  said  to  Peter- — "  What  I  do 
thou  knowest  not  now,  but  thou  shalt  know 
hereafter."  And  so  does  his  declaration  to 
the  apostles,  when  he  affirmed  so  broadly — 
"  There  is  nothing  hid  that  shall  not  be 
manifest."  But  nothing  can  be  more  con- 
clusive on  this  point  than  the  full  and  abso- 
lute assertion  of  the  apostle  when  he  says 
to  the  Corinthians — "  For  now  we  see 
through  a  glass  darkly;  but  then  face  to 
face ;  now  we  know  in  part,  hut  then  slialt 
we  Jcnow,  even  as  also  tve  are  hioiunr  1  Cor. 
xiii.  12.  Thus  the  "  face  of  the  man  "  upon 
the  cherubim  represents  to  us,  in  symbol, 
the  knowledge  that  shall  be  possessed  by 
the  redeemed  of  Christ,  in  the  glory  of  their 
heavenly  state. 

The  second  face  tvhich  the  cherubim  lore 
was  "the face  of  a  lion^  Two  qualities  are 
here  indicated,  viz.,  courage  and  majesty. 
The  lion  has  ever  been  regarded,  among  all 


THE     CIIERUEIM.  335 

nations,  as  the  natural  representative  of 
courage.  Bold  as  a  lion,  is  a  simile  admit- 
ted to  be  just,  all  over  the  world.  And  it 
was  on  this  ground  that  England's  heroic, 
and  chivalrous  king  gained  for  himself  the 
title,  which  he  will  wear  to  the  end  of  time, 
of  "  Kichard  of  the  lion  heart."  Courage, 
true  courage  is  an  attribute  or  quality  that 
has  ahvays  commanded  the  respect  and  ad- 
miration of  the  world.  It  belongs  by  in- 
heritance to  the  Anglo-Saxon  race.  It  comes 
down  to  us  from  a  noble  ancestry  in  our 
father  land.  England's  history,  like  our 
own,  is  full  of  noble  instances  illustrative  of 
this  fine  quality.  It  was  the  display  of  this 
quality,  connected  with  them,  which  gave 
such  renown  to  Marathon,  and  Thermopylse 
in  ancient  days, — to  Crecy  and  Agincourt — • 
Blenheim,  Bunker  Hill,  and  Waterloo,  of 
later  times ;  and  which  will  weave  into  the 
same  chaplet  with  them  many  names,  len- 


33G  THE     CHERUBIM. 

dered  famous  by  the  sad,  sad  conflict  still 
ill  progress  in  our  own  land.  But  the  great 
Captain  of  our  salvation,  in  the  campaign 
which  He  undertook,  when  he  resolved  to 
put  down  the  rebellion  which  had  broken  out 
in  this  province  of  His  Father's  dominions, 
afforded  the  grandest  exhibition  of  this  no- 
ble quality,  which,  the  world,  or  the  universe 
has  ever  witnessed.  This  campaign  is  not 
yet  finished.  The  history  of  it  has  not  yet 
been  written.  When  this  conflict  is  over  ; 
when  this  rebellion  is  put  down,  and  the  his- 
tory of  it  is  written  out,  it  may  be  by  the 
combined  agency  of  some  of  those  "holy 
men  of  old,"  who  once  "  spoke  and  wrote  as 
they  were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost — by 
David,  and  Isaiah,  and  Ezekiel,  or  by  Peter, 
and  John,  and  Paul,  there  will  be  one  scene, 
around  which  will  be  spread  a  halo  of  moral 
grandeur,  reflected  from  the  peerless  heroism 
of  the  Captain  of  our  salvation^  which  wUl 


THE     CHERUBIM.  337 

throw  into  the  shade  all  other  examples  of 
courage  recorded  in  the  annals  of  the  world, 
or  of  the  universe.  Gethsemane  was  the 
theatre  of  that  transaction.  The  stake  at 
issue  was  the  souls  of  a  race  of  ruined  crea- 
tures. The  combatants  were,  on  the  one 
side,  the  embattled  powers  of  darkness,  led 
on  by  Satan,  an  arch-angel  fallen ;  on  the 
other  side  stood — Jesus,  alone.  "  Of  the 
people  there  were  none  with  Him."  "He 
came  to  his  own,  but  his  own  received  him 
not."  In  that  hour  of  his  greatest  need  "  all 
bis  disciples  forsook  him  and  fled."  The 
angel  hosts  were  kept  aloof,  though  they 
would  gladly  have  been  at  his  side  amidst 
the  conflict.  Even  his  Father  withdrew  his 
face  and  forsook  him  then.  He  stood  in  the 
Thermopylse  of  the  universe, — alone.  He 
knew  that  hell  had  emptied  itself  to  meet 
Him  there.  He  knew  the  number,  the 
power,  the  fierceness  of  his  foes.  Yet;  un- 


838  THE     CHERUBIM. 

appalled,  he  marched  steadily  onward  to  the 
struggle.  He  met  the  foe  single-handed. 
With  undaunted  spirit  he  bore  the  tremen- 
dous shock ;  and  though  He  fell  in  the  con- 
flict, yet  He  conquered  as  He  fell.  "  He 
spoiled  principalities  and  powers,"  and 
"  opened  the  kingdom  of  heaven  to  all  be- 
lievers."  Here  was  courage  without  a  par- 
allel. Here  we  see  "  the  Lion  of  the  tribe 
of  Judah "  acting  out  his  true  character. 
And  this  courage  of  our  great  chief  is  indi- 
cated by  '^  the  face  of  a  lion,"  as  seen  upon 
the  cherubim. 

And  this  quality  is  a  characteristic  of  re- 
deemed humanity  as  well  as  of  Him  who 
redeemed  it.  It  applies  to  true  Christians 
even  now.  "  The  righteous  are  bold  as  a 
lion,"  says  the  wise  man.  But  it  will  apply 
to  them  much  more  truly  hereafter.  It  is 
said  of  them  that — "  they  shall  have  bold- 
ness in  the  day  of  judgment."     This  is  the 


THE     CHERUBIM.  339 

very  highest  exercise  of  this  most  noble 
quality.  In  this  relation  it  is  not  a  natural, 
but  a  gracious  attribute  of  character.  It 
results  from  connection  with  Christ,  and  the 
covenant  of  his  salvation.  It  is  beautifully 
explained  by  the  language  of  the  hymn 
which  represents  the  believer  as  saying — 

"Jesus,  thy  blood  and  rigliteoiisness 
My  beauty  are,  my  glorious  di-ess — 
Midst  flaming  worlds  in  these  array'd 
AYitb  joy  will  I  lift  up  my  head." 

But  "  the  face  of  the  lion  "  was  indicative 
of  majesty  as  well  as  courage.  Majesty  is 
not  an  assumed  thing.  It  is  not  a  necessa- 
ry attendant  of  ofi&cial  position;  but  it  is 
the  natural  result  of  the  possession  of  pre- 
eminent excellences.  There  is  the  halo 
round  the  sun  for  instance ;  this  is  nothing 
else  than  the  glory  created  by  the  shining 
of  its  own  rays.  And  it  is  just  so  with  the 
majesty  of  Christ.      This  is  the  halo  round 


340  THE     CnERUBIM. 

his  character — the  radiance  formed  by  the 
shining  forth  of  His  own  glory.  He  is  "  the 
brightness  of  the  Father's  glory,  and  the 
express  image  of  His  person."  He  is  "  the 
chief  among  ten  thousand,  and  altogether 
lovely."  He  is  the  substance  of  which  all 
the  glories  of  the  material  creation  are  but 
shadows.  Matchless  courage  and  peerless 
majesty  are  his.  And  this  is  indicated  by 
the  face  of  the  lion  upon  the  cherubim. 

But  this  is  a  quality,  too,  which  will  mark 
the  condition  of  the  redeemed,  in  the  glory 
of  their  future  state.  True,  with  them  it 
will  not  be  an  inherited,  but  an  imparted 
quality.  In  themselves,  of  their  own,  they 
have  nothing  attractive,  or  majestic.  But 
they  do  have  that  imparted  to  them,  by  their 
glorious  Lord,  which  makes  them  so.  Hence, 
speaking  to  Bis  Church,  Jesus  says-  '^  Thy 
leauty  v^^^  iicrfed  through  my  comeliness, 
wdiicli  I  put  upon  thee."     None   will  deny 


THE     CHERUBIM.  341 

ihsit  perfect  heauty  is  a  majestic  thing  This 
attiibute  of  the  character  of  the  redeemed 
in  their  future  state  is  fully  sustained  by 
passages  like  these  :  "  Then  shall  the 
righteous  shine  forth  as  the  sun  in  the  king- 
dom of  their  Father."  "  Thou  shalt  be  a 
crown  of  glory  in  the  hand  of  the  Lord,  and 
a  royal  diadem  in  the  hand  of  thy  God." 
Solomon  represented  the  Church  of  the  Re- 
deemed, "  looking  forth  as  the  morning, 
beautiful  as  Tirzah,  comely  as  Jerusalem, 
fair  as  the  sun,  clear  as  the  moon,  and  terri- 
ble as  an  army  with  banners."  All  these 
expressions  prove  that  majesty,  of  the  no- 
blest order,  will  be  a  feature  of  character 
marking  the  condition  of  the  redeemed  in 
glory.  Courage  and  majesty  will  pertain  to 
them,  as  to  their  glorious  Lord,  and  "  the 
face  of  the  lion "  upon  the  cherubim  is  the 
symbol  of  these  qualities. 

The  third  face  which  the  cherubim  bore 


342  THE     CHERUBIM. 

was  "  the  face  of  an  oxP  The  quality  which 
this  represents  is,  manifestly,  that  of  strength 
for  service.  "  That  our  oxen  may  be  strong 
to  labor"  says  the  Psalmist,  when  praying 
for  temporal  blessings  on  the  people.  And 
Solomon  says  :  "  Much  increase  is  by  the 
strength  of  the  ox."  And  strength,  we 
know,  is  a  glorious  attribute  of  our  divine 
Redeemer.  It  is  one  which  he  possesses, 
too,  in  absolute  perfection.  In  speaking  of 
Him,  in  connection  wdth  the  work  to  which 
He  had  appointed  him,  God,  the  Father, 
says  :  "  I  have  laid  help  upon  one  who  is 
mighty."  It  is  of  Him  the  prophet  is  speak- 
ing when  he  says  to  Israel, — "  Trust  ye  in 
the  Lord  forever;  for  in  the  Lord  Jehovah  is 
everlasting  strength."  He  is  ''  the  Creator 
of  the  ends  of  the  earth,  who  fainteth  not, 
neither  is  weary."  He  has  ^'  power  over  all 
flesh  to  give  eternal  life  to  as  many  as  the 
Father  hath  given  him."     "  He  is  able  to 


THE     CHEBUBIM.  343 

save  unto  the  uttermost  them  that  come  unto 
God  by  him."  "  All  power  in  heaven  and 
on  earth  is  given  unto  him."  "  Nothing  is 
impossible  with  him."  "  He  is  mighty  to 
save,  and  strong  to  deliver."  "  The  govern- 
ment" of  the  Church  and  of  the  universe 
"  is  upon  His  shoulder."  It  is  an  easy  yoke, 
a  light  burden  for  Him  to  bear,  because  He 
is  girded  with  omnipotence.  He  has  ex- 
haustless  strength  for  the  service  he  has 
undertaken.  "  The  face  of  the  ox,"  as  re- 
presented on  the  mysterious  cherubim,  was 
a  significant  symbol  of  this  attribute  of  our 
Saviour's  character. 

But  it  symbolized  the  same  quality  as 
marking  the  condition  of  his  people  in  that 
glorious  kingdom  to  which  it  is  His  gracious 
purpose  eventually  to  bring  them.  It  is  the 
covenant  privilege  of  the  redeemed,  even 
iiow,  in  the  imperfection  of  this  fallen  state, 
to  be  "  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power 


344  THE     CHERUBIM. 

of  his  might."  They  ''  take  hold  of  his 
strength,"  and  this  enables  them  to  momit 
tip  With  wings  as  eagles,  to  "  run  and  not  be 
weary,  to  walk  and  not  faint."  But  the  ark, 
and  the  clierubim  upon  it,  point  us  onward 
to  the  heavenly  world.  It  is  a  quality,  or 
property,  of  redeemed  humanity  in  the  glory 
of  the  resurrection  state  to  which  the  sym- 
bol now  before  us  refers. 

That  will  be  an  active  state, — a  condition 
of  the  most  exalted  and  glorious  service. 
It  is  when  St.  John  is  in  the  midst  of  his 
most  transporting  description  of  the  gran- 
deur and  blessedness  of  that  state, — when 
the  vision  of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem  is 
clearly  unfolded  to  his  view,  and  he  is 
gazing  enraptured  on  that  city  of  the  skies, " 
as  it  sparkles  in  its  ineffable  beauty  before 
him, — that  he  says  of  those  who  shall  be 
favored  to  enter  there — ^^  His  servants  shall 
serve  Himy     Directly  after  he  adds — ^'  and 


THE     CHEIIUBIM.  845 

there  shall  be  no  night  there."  The  service 
of  that  blessed  state  will  be  an  unceasing: 
service.  When  he  is  describing  the  living 
creatures,  the  cherubim,  in  another  of  the 
Apocalyptic  visions,  he  says  of  them,  tl^it 
"  they  rest  not  day  and  night,  saying,  Holy, 
Holy,  Holy  is  the  Lord  God  Almighty." 
And  yet  we  are  told  elsewhere  of  the  re- 
deemed in  glory  that  they  "  enter  into  rest. ' 
There  is  no  discrepancy  between  these  state- 
ments. It  is  true  of  the  redeemed  that  they 
will  serve  God  day  and  night,  L  e.,  unceas- 
ingly, for  ''  there  is  no  night  there."  And 
it  is  true,  at  the  same  time,  that  they  will 
^^  enter  into  rest."  Ceaseless  activity  is  not 
compatible  with  a  state  of  rest  here,  but  it 
will  be  there.  There  will  be  bliss  in  every 
service,  and  rest  in  every  motion.  And  this 
gives  us  the  most  striking  view  we  can  have 
of  the  strength,  the  amazing  might,  the 
tireless  vigor   which  will  be  girding  every 


346  THE    CHERUBIM. 

faculty  of  the  ransomed  in  the  kingdom  of 
their  Father.  In  the  striking  language  of 
the  prophet,  "  They  will  be  strong  and  do 
exploits."  And  this  idea  is  embodied  in 
"  the  face  of  the  ox  "  described  upon  the 
cherubim. 

The  last  face  associated  tvith  this  mysteri-- 
ous  symhol  tvas  "  the  face  of  an  eaglet 

Now,  one  of  the  things  for  which  an  eagle 
is  remarkable,  is  its  keenness  of  vision.  God 
says  of  the  eagle — "  From  the  crag  of  the 
rock  she  seeketh  her  prey;  and  her  eyes 
behold  afar  offT  Our  Saviour  said — 
'•'  Wheresoever  the  carcass  is  there  will  the 
eagles  be  gathered  together."  In  confirma- 
tion of  this,  Oriental  travellers  tell  us  that,  in 
the  progress  of  their  caravans,  when  a  horse- 
or  a  camel  dies,  it  scarcely  falls  to  the 
ground  before  the  eagles  sight  their  prey 
and  light  upon  it.  And  all  the  power,  or 
quickness  of  vision,  which  the  eagle  possesses 


THE    CHERUBIM.  347 

is  but  a  symbol  of  a  corresponding  attribute 
of  character  pertaining  to  Christ.  His  eyes 
are  in  every  place.  "  He  seeth  the  end  from 
the  beginning."  "  He  knoweth  our  necessi- 
ties before  we  ask."  When  Satan  desired 
to  have  Peter  "  that  he  might  sift  him  as 
wheat,"  and  laid  his  snare  for  him  accord- 
ingly, Jesus  saw  it  all,  and  gave  timely 
warning  of  it  to  his  impulsive,  and  honest- 
hearted,  but  self-confident  disciple.  He  saw 
the  approach  of  the  Roman  armies  to  Jeru- 
salem fifty  years  before  they  came,  and  He 
left  wise  counsel  for  his  people,  to  guide 
their  steps  in  that  emergency,  and  guard 
them  from  that  danger.  "  Wonderful  Coun- 
sellor "  was  part  of  the  name  the  prophet 
gave  Him  before  his  birth,  and  it  is  His 
name  still.  His  quick,  unslumbering  eye 
surveys  every  path  along  which  His  people 
tread.  He  sees  the  dangers  that  beset  them, 
the  sna^c^i  in  secret  laid  for  their  harm,  and 


348  THE     CHERUBIM. 

He  guards  tliem  from  those  clangers,  and 
delivers  them  from  those  snares.  "  The 
face  of  the  eagle/'  on  the  cherubim,  gives 
us,  in  symbol,  the  assurance  of  this  quality 
in  our  glorious  Lord.  It  is  a  comforting 
assurance. 

But  lioiu  does  this  apjyhj  to  the  redeemed  in 
the  glory  of  their  future  state  ?  This  is  not  a 
point  on  which  any  definite,  or  explicit  in- 
formation is  given  us  in  the  Scriptures.  But 
there  are  two  passages  which,  when  brought 
together,  and  looked  at,  in  the  light  of  this 
subject,  are,  to  say  the  least,  very  sugges- 
tive. We  find  St.  Paul  speaking  to  the 
Hebrew  Christians,  of  "  the  powers  of  the 
world  to  come."  Heb.,  vi.  5.  We  cannot 
stop  now  to  discuss  this  passage  critically: 
But  there  can  be  no  question  that  it  refers 
to  faculties,  attributes,  or  qualities,  mental, 
moral,  or  physical,  to  be  possessed  by  the 
redeemed  of  Christ  amidst  the   glory  and 


THE     CIIEPtUBIM.  349 

blessedness  of  the  -woiid  to  come.  And  this 
being  assumed  we  are  prepared  for  the  other 
passage  in  question.  This  is  found  in  Isaiah 
xxxiii.  17.  Here,  the  prophet,  after  speak- 
ing of  the  present  privileges  of  the  child  of 
the  covenant,  is  led  on  to  glance  at  his  posi- 
tion in  the  future.  He  says  :  "  Thine  eyes 
shall  see  the  king  in  his  beauty ;  they  shall 
behold  the  land  that  is  very  far  off."  Now 
I  venture  not  to  dogmatize  about  this  pas- 
sage. I  would  not  affirm  positively  that  it 
is  intended  to  teach  this,  or  that,  or  the 
other  idea  respecting  the  condition  of  the 
redeemed  in  glory ;  but  when  I  bear  in 
mind  how  marvellously  exalted  that  position 
will  be ;  when  I  remember  St.  Paul's  inti- 
mation about  "  the  powers  of  the  world  to 
come,"  and  then  come  back  and  look  upon 
Ezekiel's  sketch  of  the  cherubim  with  its 
eagle  eye — Oh,  I  feel  that,  if  I  am  a  believer 
in  Jesus,  I  have  here  a  promise,  in  symbol, 


350  THE      CHERUBIM. 

of  such  an  enlargement  of  perceptive  facul* 
iy  and  power  of  vision  as  quite  passes  my 
capacity  at  present  to  comprehend. 

But  quichiess  of  motion,  or  sjjeed  of  flight 
is  another  characteristic  quality  of  the  eagle. 

In  one  of  the  terrific  denunciations  which 
Moses  left  on  record,  for  Israel's  admonition, 
he  sayS;  "  The  Lord  shall  hring  a  nation 
upon  thee  from  the  ends  of  the  earth,  as 
sivift  as  the  eagle  flicthr  Nothing  can  be 
more  expressive  of  celerity  or  despatch  in 
action  than  is  this  language.  And  this  we 
know  is  a  quality  which  strikingly  marks 
the  character  of  Christ  in  carrying  on  the 
work  of  our  redemption.  It  was  so  when 
lie  was  on  earth.  What  He  did  for  those 
who  sought  His  gracious  intervention,  He 
did  quickly.  How  often,  when  the  blind 
appealed  to  Him,  we  read  that  "  immediate- 
ly  their  eyes  were  opened  !"  How  often 
vvhen  the  poor,  forlorn   lepers  invoked  his 


THE     CHERUBIM.  351 

healing  power,  we  read  that  ''immediately 
their  leprosy  was  cleansed."  This  quality 
marks  His  character  still.  It  is  only  by  the 
practical  development  of  it  that  He  can 
make  good  His  word  when  He  engages  in 
one  place  to  be  to  all  His  people  "  a  very 
present  help  in  trouble ;"  and  in  another  to 
be  always  ''  a  God  at  hand,  and  not  afar 
off;"  or  when,  in  still  another  place,  His 
promise  runs — "  Before  they  call  I  will  an- 
swer, and  while  they  are  yet  speaking  I  will 
hear."  It  is  clearly  manifest  how  "  the  face 
of  the  eagle "  upon  the  cherubim  points  to 
this  feature  of  our  Lord's  character. 

But  what  hearing  has  this  on  the  position  of 
the  redeemed  in  glory  1  I  answer,  a  very 
natural  and  necessary  bearing.  It  teaches 
us  that  quickness  of  motion,  or  speed  of 
flight,  Avill  be  a  characteristic  of  that  state. 
This  idea  is  more  distinctly  taught  us,  than 
any  other  of  which  we  have  spoken^  in  the 


852  THE     CHERUBIM. 

passage  from  Ezekiel  to  wliicli  we  have  re- 
ferred. For,  observe  that  in  the  fourteenth 
verse  the  prophet  tells  us,  that  '^  the  living 
creatures  ran  and  returned  as  the  appearance 
of  a  flash  of  lightning."  The  capacity  to 
n:iove  with  lightning  speed,  with  the  quick- 
ness of  thought,  this,  we  are  here  taught, 
will  be  one  of  the  features  marking  the  con- 
dition of  the  redeemed  in  glory — one  of 
"  the  powers  of  the  world  to  come."  Their 
position  as  kings  and  priests  unto  God  and 
the  Lamb  will  require  this.  In  that  posi- 
tion they  will  be  officiating,  as  channels  of 
communication,  between  their  triumphant 
Redeemer,  in  that  Nev/  Jerusalem  of  which 
He  will  be  the  light  and  glory,  and  the 
saved  nations  who  shall  then  be  peoj)ling  the 
earth.  To  those  nations  the  resurrection 
saints  will  stand  in  a  relation  analogous  to 
that  which  the  angels  now  sustain  towards  the 
heirs  of  salvation  when  they  act  to  them  as 


THE     CHERUBIM.  353 

ministering  spirits;  and  in  a  position  like 
this  the  power,  or  faculty,  of  which  we  now 
speak,  will  be  an  absolute  necessity.  But 
we  are  assured  of  their  possession  of  this 
power,  when  we  gaze  upon  the  face  of  the 
eagle  which  the  cherubim  bore. 

Thus  we  have  attempted  to  point  out  the 
significance  of  this  symbol  in  its  bearing, 
both  on  the  qualities  which  characterize  our 
blessed  Lord  in  the  work  He  is  now  carrying 
on,  and  which  will  mark  the  condition  of 
His  people  in  the  glory  and  blessedness  of 
his  promised  kingdom. 

In  conclusion — IIoiu  glorious  are  the  pros- 
pects  for  the  future  zvhich  the  Gospel  unfolds 
to  believers  in  Jesus  !  We  only  speak  now 
of  these  prospects  as  they  appear  in  the 
light  of  our  present  subject.  The  cheru- 
bim, with  their  four-fold  faces,  stand  before 
us  as  significant  symbols  of  the  noble  quali- 
ties which  mark  the  character  of  our  Saviour 


354  THE     CHERUBIM. 

now,  and  wliicli  all  His  peoj^le  Tvlll  share 
with  Him  hereafter.  "  We  know/'  says  the 
apostle,  "  that  when  He  shall  appear  luc 
shall  he  like  HimJ'  How  impressive  such  a 
statement  becomes  in  the  light  which  shines 
upon  it  from  the  mysterious  cherubim  !  To 
be  like  Him  in  knowledge,  as  indicated  by 
the  face  of  a  man ;  like  him  in  courage  and 
majesty,  as  indicated  hj  the  face  of  a  lion  j 
like  him  in  strength  for  service,  as  indicated 
by  the  face  of  an  ox ;  like  him  in  power  of 
vision  and  swiftness  of  motion,  as  indicated 
by  the  face  of  an  eagle ; — in  a  word,  like 
him  in  every  respect  in  which  a  creature  can 
he  like  the  Creator — what  a  destiny  is  this  ! 
Yet,  Christian,  this  is  the  inheritance  re- 
served for  you !  "When  Jesus  was  speaking 
of  His  people  in  their  resurrectic  i  state.  He 
said  they  should  be  " as  the  angels''  Here 
we  see  how  this  statement  will  be  realized. 
Glorified  men  will  be  equal  to  the  angels  in 


THE    CHERUBIM.  355 

most  respects ;  but  in  some  respects  they 
will  be  better  off  than  even  the  angels  them- 
selves. The  angels  must  stand  forever  on 
the  ground  of  their  own  righteousness, — a 
creature's  righteousness ;  but  redeemed  men 
will  stand  forever,  and  be  exalted  in  the 
righteousness  of  Christ — a  j&nished,  perfect, 
and  transcendently  glorious  righteousness. 
The  angels  can  stand  no  more  closely  rela- 
ted to  Christ  than  any  other  unfallen  crea- 
tures ;  but  redeemed  men  will  be  more  inti- 
mately related  to  Him  than  any  other 
creatures  in  the  universe.  For  "  He  took 
not  on  Him  the  nature  of  angels,"  but, — 
glorious  thought ; — "He  took  on  him  the  seed 
of  Abraham."  Jehovah  Jesus  wears  our 
nature  on  the  throne  of  the  universe.  The 
mantle  of  humanity  is  on  Him  there.  How 
near  this  brings  us  to  Him !  And  then 
there  is  one  other  point  in  which  our  posi- 
tion will  be  superior  to  theirs.      The  angels 


356  THE    CHERUBIM. 

will  sing  the  anthem  of  creation,  and  of  pre- 
servation,— but  the  anthem  of  redemption, 
they  will  not  be  able  to  sing.  '^  Worthy  the 
Lamb,  for  He  was  slain /or  us,'' — will  not  be 
true  of  them.  This  is  a  note  in  the  music 
of  the  upper  sanctuary  too  high  for  angel 
harps  to  strike.  The  ransomed  of  earth 
alone  will  be  able  to  reach  this  lofty  strain. 
Believers  in  Jesus,  this  is  your  portion  ! 
What  love  you  owe !  what  praise ;  what 
gratitude  !  what  devotion !  to  Him,  who,  by 
His  suffering  and  death,  has  opened  the 
pathway  for  you  to  this  glorious  inheri- 
tance !     Oh,  then — 

"  Since  words  can  never  measure, 
Let  your  life  show  forth  His  praise  !" 

And  w^iat  a  motive  this  subject  suggests, 
to  urge  you  to  seek  an  interest  in  Jesus,  my 
dear  hearers  who  are  yet  strangers  to  Him. 
Our  ruined  nature  can  find  perfection  and 


THE     CHERUBIM.  357 

enduring  blessedness  only  in  Christ.  Tlie 
path  of  life  starts  from  His  cross.  All  that 
is  pure  and  noble,  all  that  is  elevated  and 
enduring,  in  the  development  of  humanity  is 
to  be  found  in  Jesus.  The  blessing,  the 
glory,  the  immortality  for  which  our  spirits 
pine  can  only  be  secured  in  Him.  Seek 
Jesus  and  be  pardoned.  Seek  Jesus  and  be 
transformed.  Seek  Jesus  and  be  happy. 
Seek  Jesus  and  be  saved. 


*'  In  Him  you'll  then  abide, 

And  sweet  shall  he  yonr  rest. 
With  every  longing  satisfied, 
In  full  salvation  blest." 


CHAPTER     IX. 


**;S.nb  fljou  sl}:ilt  mnhe  a  mcvtu-srat  of  ijuugoii):  fbo  tiibita 
aub  H  Ijnlf  sbnll  be  tlje  Icngilj  tl^crrof,  uub  h  cubit  mxH 
a  Ijnif  tlje  brcnbtl)  tbcrcof.  giiib  tl^ou  sbnlt  }?nt  iljc mevt)|- 
scat  abobe  upon  ll^e  aiii;  aiib  in  Ibc  mh  thon  sbnlt  put 
tijt  festimoiiiJ  il|Ht  |  sI^hU  gibe  lljce,  gub  fljcre  bill  | 
meet  feitlj  lljee,  aixb  |  bsill  contmuuc  bitlj  fljcc  front 
abobe  tl^e  merci|-scnt,  from  brtlDceir  fbc  tbo  cbcrubims 
fol/tclj  are  upon  ilje  ark  of  tjjc  tcstimoitir,  of  al(  tljiuga 
feljiclj  I  bill  gibe  tljcc  in  tontmanbmcut  unto  tl^c  cl^it- 
bren  of  |srafl — Exodus,  xxv.  17,  21,  22. 


IX. 


"When  Moses  made  the  tabernacle  he  he* 
gan  where  we  leave  off,  in  our  consideration 
of  it.  The  ark  of  the  covenant,  the  last 
article  of  the  sacred  furniture  to  claim  our 
attention,  is  the  first  thing  described  by  him, 
in  his  account  of  the  tabernacle,  and  it  was 
doubtless  that  which  first  engaged  his 
thoughts,  in  the  erection  of  the  heaven-ap- 
pointed structure.  He  finished  this,  in  all 
its  mysterious  beauty,  before  proceeding 
further.  He  then  took  up,  in  the  order  of 
their  relation  to  the  ark,  the  other  articles 
pertaining  to  the  tabernacle.  It  was  natural 
for  Moses  to  pursue  the  course  he  did  ;  and 


362  THE     MERCY-SEAT. 

e finally  natural  for  us  to  have  pursued  the 
opposite  course.  In  tlie  erection  of  a  build- 
ing it  is  natural  to  begin  with  the  founda- 
tion ;  but  in  describing  the  same  building  it 
would  be  very  unnatural  to  begin  at  the 
same  point.  We  have  imagined  ourselves 
to  be  strangers,  on  a  visit  of  inquiry  and 
observation  to  the  camp  of  Israel,  and  the 
august  and  impressive  arrangement  for  di- 
vine worship  connected  with  its  tabernacle. 
We  have  attempted  to  describe  the  taberna- 
cle and  its  furniture  as  it  would  have  ap* 
peared  to  a  person  thus  approaching  it.  AVe 
have  taken  up,  and  considered  the  different 
objects  connected  with  it,  in  the  order  in 
which  they  would  have  presented  them- 
selves, under  such  circumstances. 

From  the  outer  door  of  the  court  of  the 
tabernacle,  we  have  advanced,  step  by  step, 
till  at  last,  with  solemn  awe,  we  have 
reached   the  Most  Holy  Pkce,  where  the 


THE     MERCY-SEAT.  o63 

ark,  with  its  overshadowing  cherubim^  has 
stood  before  us  for  consideration. 

We  have  taken  up  five  several  points  of 
inquiry  in  connection  with  the  ark.  We 
have  noticed  in  succession — the  veil  which 
hung  before  the  ark ;  the  place  in  which  the 
ark  stood  ;  its  structure ;  its  contents  ;  the 
cherubim  above  it ;  and  now,  one  other 
point  alone  remains  to  be  considered,  viz.: 
The  Mercy-seat  and  its  glory. 

This  is  the  subject  of  our  present  medita- 
tion. In  dwelling  on  this  subject  we  may  con-- 
sider  what  the  mercy-seat  was  literally — ana 
what  it  was  typically,  or  symholically. 

In  its  simple,  literal  acceptation,  the 
mercy-seat  denoted  merely  the  cover,  or  lid 
of  the  ark.  In  the  words  which  God  ad- 
dressed to  Moses,  respecting  it,  in  our  text, 
it  is  thus  described  :  "And  thou  shalt  make 
a  mercy-seat  of  pure  gold  :  two  cubits  and 
a  half  shall  be  the  length   thereof,  and  a 


364  THE     MERCY-SEAT. 

cubit  and  a  half  the  breadth  thereof.  An  J 
thou  shalt  put  the  Mercy-seat  above,  upon 
the  ark." 

There  is  very  httle  to  say  under  this  first 
branch  of  our  subject.  Taken  in  its  prima- 
ry or  hteral  sense  the  mercy-seat  was  noth- 
ing else  than  the  lid  or  covering  of  the  ark. 
It  was  made  of  pure  gold.  The  rest  of  the 
ark  was  made  of  shittim-wood,  overlaid  with 
gold.  But  there  was  no  wood  about  the 
mercy-seat.  It  was  all  of  gold,  and  only  of 
gold.  We  are  not  told  why  such  a  differ- 
ence was  ordained  to  exist  between  this 
portion  of  the  ark  and  the  remainder  of  it. 
It  does  not  become  us  curiously  to  pry  into 
matters  that  God  has  not  seen  fit  to  reveal, 
nor  aim  to  be  wise  above  what  is  written. 
But  if,  as  we  have  before  supposed,  the 
wood  and  the  gold  represented  the  two  na- 
tures of  our  Saviour,  then,  when  the  mercy- 
Beat  is  described,  there  would  seem  to  be  a 


THE     MERCY-SEAT.  365 

peculiar  significancy  in  representing  it  as 
composed  of  gold  alone,  for  the  relations 
there  to  be  sustained  by  God  to  His  people, 
as  we  shall  see  presently,  were  such  as  per 
tained  peculiarly  to  the  Godhead,  and  not  to 
the  humanity. 

It  is  worthy  of  notice  that  the  word  in 
the  Hebrew  rendered  mercy-seat  here,  comes 
from  the  old  root  capJiar,  or  copJiar,  which 
signifies  to  hide,  or  cover,  and  is  doubtless 
the  origin  of  our  English  word  cover.  Lit- 
erally the  mercy-seat  was  the  covering  of 
the  ark. 

But  our  chief  concern  is  with  the  mercy- 
seat,  m  its  typical  or  st/mholical  meaning. 
And  there  is  perhaps  no  better  or  more  satis- 
factory way  of  getting  at  this  meaning  than 
by  looking  for  a  moment  at  the  true  sense 
of  the  word  in  the  Hebrew  and  Greek 
Scriptures,  rendered  respectively  in  our 
English  version  by  the  term  mercy-seat.    In 


366  THE     MERCY-SEAT. 

the  Hebrew  Bible^  it  is  tlie  word  capJiareth, 
or  cojpliaretli^  from  the  word  co])lier.  This, 
in  its  strict  or  primary  sense,  means  to  atone 
for  sin,  to  exjnate,  or  forgive  sin.  In  its 
secondary,  or  metaphorical  sense,  it  means 
to  cover  sin.  And  this  gives  us  the  true 
scriptural  sense  of  pardon  as  resulting  from 
an  atonement.  It  is  the  putting  away,  or 
hiding  of  sin — the  causing  of  it  not  to  ap- 
pear. Hence,  says  the  Psalmist — "  Blessed 
is  he  whose  transgression  is  forgiven ;  whose 
sin  is  covered.  The  word  used  in  the  Sep- 
tuagint,  and  in  the  Greek  version  of  the 
New  Testament,  to  translate  the  term,  which 
in  Hebrew  means  simply  a  cover,  is  IXaarrjpiov 
— ilastarion,  which  means  an  "  expiatory,'' 
or  a  "propitiatory,"  denoting  that  by  which 
atonement  is  made,  or  pardon  obtained,  or 
in  other  words,  by  which  sin  is  covered. 
And  this  you  will  see  had  a  peculiar  signifi- 
cancy  as  applied  to  the  mercy-seat,  when 


THE     MERCY-SEAT.  367 

you  bear  in  mind  the  solemn  service  per- 
formed every  year  in  connection  with  it. 
On  the  great  day  of  atonement  the  high- 
priest  entered  the  Most  Holy  Place  with  the 
blood  of  a  slaughtered  victim.  This  blood 
was  sprinkled  on  the  mercy-seat.  By  doing 
this  he  "  made  an  atonement  for  the  sins  of 
the  people."  And  in  this  way  that  golden 
lid  of  the  ark,  became  the  ''  propitiatory," — 
i.  e.,  the  atoning  cover  of  the  sins  of  the 
people.  You  will  see  from  this  that  though 
the  term  mercy-seat  is  a  sweet  and  beautiful 
term,  and  one  that  we  cannot  but  love,  still 
it  does  not  give  us  a  good  translation  of  the 
idea  involved  in  the  metaphorical  sense  of 
the  original  Hebrew,  and  still  less  of  the 
Greek  word  ilastarion.  It  rather  carries  oif 
our  minds  from  the  idea  conveyed  by  the 
words  used  in  the  original  scriptures.  The 
cover  of  the  ark  was  doubtless  the  seat  of 

mercy ;  but   then   it   was  mercy  conferred 
11 


368  THE     MERCY-SEAT. 

through  an  act  of  expiatiorij  through  the 
blood  of  an  atonmg  sacrifice.  Our  word 
mercy-seat  intimates  nothing  of  this  kind. 
The  word  in  the  Hebrew  Bible  for  which 
this  term  is  put,  told  distinctly  of  blood- 
shedj  or  expiation  made.  And  the  Greek 
w^ord  did  the  same,  but  our  word  carries 
Avith  it  nothing  to  suggest  this  idea.  At  each 
end  of  this  mercy-seat,  or  cover  of  the  ark, 
was  a  cherub  of  beaten  gold.  These  stretched 
out  their  wings  towards  each  other,  and 
formed  a  kind  of  throne,  where  the  Lord 
was  considered  as  sitting.  Hence  the 
Psalmist  in  addressing  him  exclaims — ''  Oh, 
Shepherd  of  Israel,  Thou  that  dwellest  be- 
tween the  cherubims,  shine  forth."  And  it 
is  when  contemplated  from  this  point  of 
view  especially,  that  the  mercy-seat,  or  cover 
of  the  Jewish  ark,  points  us  directly  to 
Christ.  "  He  is  the  propitiation  for  our  sins, 
and  not  for  ours  only,  but  also   for  the  sina 


THE     MERCY-SEAT.  369 

of  (lie  whole  world."  Our  atonement  is  in 
Him.  He  is  at  once  our  mercy-seat,  and 
our  reconciled  God,  "  dwelling  between  the 
cherubims,"  and  ready  to  shine  forth  in  par- 
doning love,  and  saving  grace  and  mercy  to 
poor  sinners.  If  we  had  a  word  denoting — 
reconciliation-seat  or  residence,  we  should 
come  nearer  to  the  idea  of  tho  original 
scriptures  on  this  subject.  What  we  call 
the  mercy-seat  was  the  station  of  a  person 
understood  to  be  constantly  present  there, 
that  he  might  be  reconciled  to  those  who 
entreated  him.  Thus  the  space  above  the 
lid,  or  cover  of  the  ark,  and  between  the 
cherubim,  was  the  reconciliation-seat,  the 
place  of  atonement  for  the  Jewish  people, 
where  God  engaged  to  meet  them,  to  be  at 
peace  with  them,  and  impart  to  them  his 
mercy.  But  now  the  apostle  declares — • 
Kom.  iii.  25-=— that  "God  hath  set  forth 
Jesus   Christ   to  be  a  propitiation  " — (the 


370  THE     MEECY-SEAT. 

Greek  word  here  is  ilastarion,  the  same  that 
is  used  in  the  Septuagint  version  of  the  Oh-l. 
Testament  for  the  mercy-seat) — i.  e.,  to  be 
a  reconciliation-seat,  or  residence  "  through 
faith  in  his  blood."  And  thus  we  are  taught 
that  as  God  was  understood  to  be  constantly 
on  the  mercy-seat  of  old,  as  the  place  where 
reconciliation  was  to  be  sought,  and  mercy 
obtained )  so  now  lie  is  in  Christ,  who  is 
His  residence  for  the  same  blessed  purpose. 
Thus  we  are  told  that  "  God  is  in  Christ, 
reconciling  the  world  unto  Himself."  Our 
mercy-seat,  our  reconciliation-residence  is 
Jesus,  the  divine  Saviour,  the  God-man  me- 
diator. And  all  the  typical  teachings  of  this 
branch  of  our  subject  may  be  drawn  out  in 
the  attempt  to  answer  one  question,  viz. — 
wlicd  sort  of  a  mercy-seat  have  ive  in  Christ  ? 
In  replying  to  this  inquiry,  I  desire  to 
show  that  we  have  in  Christ,  in  the  first 
flace^  an  authorised  merci/-seat. 


THE     MEKCY-SEAT.  371 

"VVe  have  a  mercy-seat  based  on  law, 
This  was  significantly  intimated  in  the  Jew- 
ish ark,  by  the  fact  that  the  tables  of  the 
law  were  placed  in  the  ark.  The  golden 
mercy-seat  of  the  tabernacle  might  be  said 
to  have  rested  on  the  law.  This  was  a  very 
suggestive  circumstance.  And  it  is  full  of 
instruction  in  its  symbolical  bearings.  It 
tells  us  that  our  mercy-seat  is  hased  on  latv. 
He  who  occupies  this  mercy-seat  is  "  iijust 
God  and  a  Saviour."  No  violence  is  done 
to  any  principle  of  honor,  or  of  justice  in 
the  government  of  the  universe  by  the  dis- 
pensing of  grace  from  this  mercy-seat.  The 
divine  law  is  magnified  and  made  honorable. 
Every  attribute  of  the  divine  character  is 
vindicated.  He  who  occupies  this  mercy- 
seat  is  one  who  "  loveth  righteousness,  and 
hateth  iniquity."  "The  sceptre  of  his 
kingdom  is  a  right  sceptre."  God  the  Father 
has  wei^ihed  his  work  in  the  balances  of  the 


372  THE     MERCY-SEAT. 

heavenly  sanctuary,  and  put  the  mark  of 
His  approbation  upon  it.  Again  and  again, 
when  Jesus  was  on  earth,  working  out  our 
redemption,  the  voice  from  the  eternal  throne 
was  heard  proclaiming :  "  This  is  my  be- 
loved Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased." 
And  when  the  work  of  Him  who  sits  upon 
the  mercy-seat  shall  be  displayed,  in  the 
glory  of  its  final  consummation,  before  a 
beholding  universe,  the  approving  plaudit 
extorted  from  the  adoring  multitude  will  be 
— "  Great  and  marvellous  are  thy  works, 
Lord  God  Almighty !  Just  and  true  are 
thy  ways,  thou  King  of  saints !"  The 
mercy-seat  to  which  we  come  in  Christ  is  an 
authorized  mercy-seat.  Not  only  the  good- 
ness and  love  of  God  are  gratified  by  it 
but  his  wisdom,  his  truth,  his  holiness,  and 
his  justice  even,  yea,  all  the  severer  at- 
tributes of  his  character  are  honored  by  it, 
and  give  their   delighted  testimony  in  its 


THE     MERCY-SEAT.  S73 

support.      It  is  an  authorized  mercy-seat  to 
which  we  are  invited. 

But  I  observe  secondly  of  the  mercy-seat 
which  we  are  hidden  to  approach  in  Christ 
that  it  is  an  encouraging  mercy-seat. 

This  aspect  of  it  comes  out  to  view  wheB 
we  reflect  how  the  lid  of  the  ark  covered 
the  law  as  it  was  a  broken  law.  The  law 
of  God,  deposited  in  the  Jewish  ark,  had  a 
two-fold  point  of  view  from  which  it  was  to 
be  contemplated,  one  of  these  had  reference 
to  Christ,  the  other  had  reference  to  his 
people.  As  it  stood  connected  with  Christ 
it  was  a  law  unbroken.  He  had  delighted 
to  do  it.  He  had  m.et  its  every  require- 
ment. He  had  kept  and  honored  it,  most 
perfectly,  down  even  to  the  least  jot,  or 
tittle  of  its  demands.  And  when  contem- 
plated from  this  point  of  view,  the  law  was 
in  the  ark,  as  we  have  seen,  to  uphold  and 
sustain  the  mercy-sea^,  which  was  over  it. 


374  THE     MERCY-SEAT. 

But  tlie  law  in  the  ark  stood  connected 
with  Christ's  people,  as  well  as  with  Him- 
self, And  when  looked  at  from  this  point 
of  view,  it  presents  itself  only  in  one  as- 
pect, and  that  is  as  a  hroJcen  laiv.  Looked 
at  in  our  natural  state,  out  of  Christ,  we 
can  only  know  and  think  of  God's  law  as  a 
law  which  we  have  broken.  In  letter,  or 
in  spirit,  we  have  broken  every  precept  of 
it.  We  have  done  this  not  once  or  twice, 
or  occasionally,  but  over  and  over  again. 
Our  natural  lives  have  been  made  up  of 
breaches  of  the  law.  Continued  existence 
with  us  was  a  continued  violation  of  it.  We 
have  failed  entirely  of  obedience  to  it.  We 
have  come  short  of  all  its  requirements.  We 
have  incurred  all  its  penalties.  It  has  but 
one  voice  in  which  to  speak  respecting  us, 
and  that  is  the  voice  of  unsparing,  terrible 
condemnation.  The  scattered  fragments  of 
this  broken  laA^  stare  us  in  the  face,  and  lie 


THE     MEPtCr-SEAT.  375 

right  in  the  way  of  our  return  to  God. 
There  can  be  no  peace,  nor  hope,  nor  com- 
fort for  us  till  this  broken  law  is  taken  away. 
We  can  have  no  access  to  God,  nor  joy  in 
the  thought  of  Him  till  this  is  done.  But 
how  can  this  be  done  ?  Who  can  take  this 
terrible  law  out  of  our  way  ?  Who  can 
gather  up  its  broken  fragments  and  hide 
them,  or  cover  them  up  so  that  God's  all- 
searching  eye  shall  no  longer  see  them  ? 
Jesus  can  do  this.  He  has  done  it  for  his 
people.  See  how  beautifully  this  was  sym- 
bolized in  the  ark  as  it  stood  within  the 
Jewish  tabernacle !  There,  in  the  ark,  is 
the  law  which  the  people  have  broken.  But 
see,  over  it  is  the  lid  of  gold,  sprinkled  with 
the  blood  of  the  atoning  sacrifice.  That 
covers  entirely  the  broken  law.  When  God 
looks  upon  that  mercy-seat  his  eye  rests  not 
upon  the  broken  law,  but  only  on  the  bur- 
nished gold  with  its  sprinkled  blood.      And 


876  THE     MERCY-SEAT. 

here  we  see,  how  beautifully !  the  shadow, 
of  which  we  have  the  glorious  substance  in 
Christ.  He  came  to  "  put  away  sin  by  the 
sacrifice  of  himself."  And  he  did  it.  And 
now  of  his  people  it  is  said,  that  "their 
lives  are  hid  with  Christ  in  God."  They 
are  "  accepted  in  the  beloved  5"  they  are 
"  complete  in  Him."  God  does  not  impute 
unto  them  their  trespasses.  Their  sins  are 
"blotted  out;"  "put  away;"  "hid;" 
"  covered."  This  is  the  point  of  view  from 
which  to  contemplate,  in  its  true  meaning, 
those  marvellous  words  in  which  it  is  de-. 
clared  of  God's  people  that — "  He  hath  not 
beheld  iniquity  in  Jacob,  neither  hath  He 
seen  perverseness  in  Israel."  There  are  no 
more  wonderful  words  in  the  Bible  than 
these.  And  the  golden  mercy-seat,  shut- 
ting out  from  view  the  law  which  we  have 
broken,  gives  us  the  clew  to  their  meaning 
You  know  when  you  look  at  any   object 


THE     MERCY-SEAT.  877 

througli  a  piece  of  colored  glass  how  natu- 
rally it  assumes  the  hue  of  the  mecliura 
through  which  you  are  looking  at  it.  Now, 
Christ,  in  the  glory  of  his  finished  righte- 
ousness, is  the  medium  through  which  God 
looks  at  all  His  believing  children.  He 
sees  them  only  "  in  the  face  of  his  anoint- 
ed." Hence  it  is  said  of  believers  in  Christ 
that  "  they  are  righteous  "  in  God's  sight, 
"  even  as  He,"  L  e.,  Christ  "  is  righteous." 
I.  John,  iii.  7.  And  again  we  read  that — 
"as  He  is,  so  ay^e  iveT  I.  John,  iv.  17. 
Surely  then,  as  teaching  us  a  truth  so  pre- 
cious as  this,  we  may  well  say  of  the  mercy- 
seat  which  we  find  in  Christ  that  it  is  an 
encouraging  mercy-seat. 

But    thirdly   I  observe    respecting   tMs 
mercy-seat  that  it  is  full  of  privilege  for 

THE  PRESENT. 

To  the  Jew  the  golden  mercy-seat  above 
the  ark  was  the  place  of  the  oracle,  the  ap- 


378  THE     MERCY-SEAT 

pointed  channel  of  communication  between 
God  and  the  people.  God  said  to  Him— 
"  There  will  I  meet  with  thee,  and  I  will 
commune  with  thee  from  above  the  mercy- 
seat."  As  Israel  journeyed  through  the 
wilderness,  when  any  emergency  arose  in- 
volving the  interests  or  welfare  of  the  peo- 
ple, Moses,  as  their  head,  or  representative, 
was  accustomed  to  enter  the  tabernacle, 
and  spread  his  case  before  the  Lord,  and 
receive  instruction  suited  to  his  circum- 
stances from  Ilim  "  who  dwelt  between  the 
cherubim." 

But  what  Moses  did  on  special  occasions 
for  the  nation  of  Israel,  the  people  of  God 
may  now  do,  each  one  for  himself,  on  all  oc- 
casions. Christ  Jesus  is  our  mercy-seat, 
and  the  way  of  access  to  Him  is  open  at  aU 
times.  It  is  through  Him  we  have  fellow- 
ship with  the  Father,  and  from  Him  that 
we  receive  all  the  help  and  grace  we  need. 


THE     MERCY-SEAT.  379 

It  is  impossible  to  overstate  tlie  preciousness 
of  the  mercy-seat,  or  to  estimate  too  highly 
the  privilege  of  access  to  it.  Suppose  you 
were  travelling  in  a  foreign  land.  You  are 
cut  off  from  intercourse  with  all  whom  you 
most  love  on  earth.  There  is  only  one  chan- 
nel through  which  you  can  hear  from  home, 
and  obtain  the  supply  of  all  that  is  necessa- 
ry to  meet  your  daily  wants,  how  j)recious 
that  channel  of  communication  would  be  to 
you  !  How  you  would  prize  it !  What 
store  you  would  set  by  it !  How  anxious 
and  careful  3^ou  would  be  to  keep  it  open ! 
The  thought  of  having  it  interrupted,  or  cut 
off,  would  be  insupportable  to  you.  Yet 
this  is  but  a  faint  image  of  the  Christian's 
position  here  in  the  world,  and  of  the  rela- 
tion of  the  mercy-seat  to  him.  "  He  is  far 
off  from  his  home."  He  is  a  pilgrim  and 
stranger  in  a  foreign  land.  His  home,  with 
all  the  objects  of  his  supreme  affection^  is 


380  THE     MERCY-SEAT. 

above.  And  it  is  only  through  Christ  upon 
the  mercy-seat  that  he  can  keep  up  com- 
munication with  home,  and  obtain  thence 
the  supplies  on  which  he  depends.  All  that 
he  needs  for  body  and  for  soul,  for  time  and 
for  eternity,  comes  to  him  through  Christ. 
He  esteems  it  the  very  choicest  of  his 
privileges,  the  crowning  blessing  of  his  pil- 
grimage that  he  has  access  to  the  mercy- 
seat.  To  know  that  from  all  parts  of  the 
earth,  wherever  he  may  be, — at  all  times, 
and  under  all  circumstances — the  way  to  the 
mercy-seat  lies  open, — and  that  with  all  his 
burdens,  griefs,  anxieties,  and  cares  he  may 
come  to  it,  and  be  sure  of  a  hearing  ear,  a 
sympathizing  heart,  and  a  helping  hand  ; 
this  makes  the  thought  of  the  mercy-seat 
unspeakably  precious  to  him.  He  is  ready 
to  unite  with  believers  everywhere,  and 
say,  as  the  language  of  true  Christian  ex- 
perience— 


THE     MERCY-SEAT.  381 

*This  is  the  place  where  Jesus  sheds 
The  oil  of  gladness  on  our  heads, 
The  place  of  all  on  earth  most  sweet ; 
The  precious,  blood-bought  mercy-seat. 

Here,  here,  on  eagle's  wings  we  soar, 
And  sense  and  sin  molest  no  moi-e ; 
A.nd  heaven  comes  down  our  souls  to  greet, 
While  glory  crowns  the  mercy-seat." 

FuH  of  privilege  for  the  present  is  our 
inercy-rt85it. 

The:c  is  only  one  oilier  point  of  view  from 
which  zve  may  glance  at  the  mercy -seat^  and 
thus  contemplated  it  shines   before   us   as 

BRIGHT  WITH  HOPE  FOR  THE  FUTURE. 

Over  tLe  Jewish  mercy-seat  there  rested 
the  mysterious  shekinah — the  cloud  of  the 
divine  presence.  That  cloud  served  in  part 
to  reveal,  hut  much  more  to  hide  the  fulness 
of  the  divine  glory.  A  few  feeble  rays  of 
that  glory  shone  forth  there  from  time  to 
time.  But  these  were  as  nothing, — but  a 
drop  to  the  unmeasured  depths  of  the  ocean, 


382  THE     MERCY-SEAT. 

compared  with  what  remained  unrevealed  of 
the  character  and  glory  of  God.  But  that 
cloud  upon  the  mercy-seat  pointed  to  Christ. 
He  is  the  true  shekinah.  Hence  it  was  said 
of  Ilim  when  He  appeared  on  earth — '^  we 
beheld  His  glory — the  glory  as  of  the  only 
begotten  of  the  Father — full  of  grace  and 
truth."  All  that  we  know  of  the  glory  of 
the  divine  character  we  know  through 
Christ.  For  "  God  who  commanded  the 
light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  hath  shined 
in  our  hearts  to  give  the  light  of  the  know- 
ledge of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of 
Jesus  Christ."  We  have  reason  to  doubt 
if  the  least  portion  of  that  glory  has  ever 
been  revealed  through  any  other  channel. 
What  Jesus  said  when  he  was  on  earth  re- 
mains a  truth  in  the  broadest  and  the  fullest 
sense  :  "  The  only  begotten  Son,  who  was 
in  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  He  hath  declared 
Hbnr     But  then  He  had  only  made  a  be- 


THE     MERCY-SEAT.  383 

ginning  in  this  work  of  declaring  the  Father. 
He  said  Himself — "I  have  declared  thy 
name,  and  will  declare  it."  The  former  part 
of  this  statement  refers  to  the  past  and 
present  agency  of  Christ  in  making  God 
known  to  his  people ;  the  latter  part  of  it 
refers  to  his  agency  in  the  future  in  carry- 
ing on  this  same  glorious  work.  He  told 
his  disciples  that  the  time  was  coming 
"  when  He  would  show  them  ijlainly  of  the 
Father."  He  says  in  the  22d  Psalm— ^^  I 
will  declare  thy  name  unto  my  brethren ;  in 
the  midst  of  the  Church  will  I  sing  praise 
unto  thee."  This  represents  our  glorious 
Saviour  in  the  midst  of  his  chosen  people, 
the  church  triumphant  in  heaven,  illustra- 
ting artd  making  plain  to  them  the  mysteries 
of  the  Godhead.  And  all  this  is  signifi- 
cantly shadowed  forth,  when  God  points  to 
the  mercy-seat,  with  the  shekinah  above  it, 
and  says — "  there  will  I  meet  with  thee,  and 


384  THE     MERCY-SEAT. 

commune  with  thee."  Thus  contemi^lated, 
the  cloud  upon  the  Jewish  mercy-seat  be- 
comes bright  with  hope  for  the  future.  As 
the  eyes  of  the  Jewish  high-priest  rested  on 
that  cloud  they  never  witnessed  anything 
more  than  a  faint  raying  forth  of  the  glory 
which  was  contained  there.  But  "  the  face 
of  Jesus  Christ/'  who  is  the  cloud  upon  our 
mercy-seat,  is  destined  to  become  all-radiant 
with  its  manifestations  of  the  ineffable  glo- 
ries of  the  God-head.  Hitherto  it  has  al- 
ways been  true  of  Jehovah,  that —  "  verily 
He  is  a  God  that  Mdeth  Himself."  But  the 
time  Cometh,  when  of  all  that  pertains  to 
the  character  and  work  of  God,  it  may  be . 
said — "  there  hath  been  nothing  hid  that 
will  not  be  made  manifest."  "  What  we 
know  not  now  we  shall  know  hereafter." 
The  true  shekinah  upon  the  mercy-seat  will 
have  no  single  dark  point  connected  with  it. 
Over  all  its  outspread  surface  the  cloud  will 


THE     MERCY-SEAT.  385 

be  lighted  up  with  the  splendors  of  divinity. 
You  have  often  seen  a  mass  of  clouds  in  the 
western  sky,  unillumined  by  the  sun's  rays, 
as  the  day  was  drawing  to  a  close.  You  know 
how  dark  and  unattractive  that  mass  ap- 
peared. But  presently  you  see  the  sun 
pass  behind  it,  and  what  a  wondrous  trans- 
formation is  wrought  in  its  appearance ! 
How  radiant  the  whole  mass  becomes  !  How 
every  point  in  it  glows  and  sparkles  with 
the  splendors  of  the  sun  that  shines  through 
it !  So  will  it  be  with  the  cloud  upon  our 
mercy-seat.  When  Jesus  was  on  earth  the 
coarse  garments  of  humanity  were  upon 
Him.  Then  the  shekinah  cloud  was  dark. 
But  the  redeemed  shall  look  upon  that  cloud 
again  amidst  the  glory  of  the  heavenly 
kingdom.  Then  all  darkness  will  have 
passed  away.  The  sun  of  uncreated  deity 
wdll  be  pouring  all  its  brightness  through  it. 
How  transcendently  glorious  the  cloud  upon 


386  THE     MERCY-SEAT. 

tlie  mercy-seat  will  then  appear  !  The  scene 
of  the  transfiguration  was  intended  as  a 
faint  foreshadowing  of  the  glory  that  will 
finally  be  revealed  in  Christ.  A  further  il- 
lustration of  what  will  be  disclosed  by  the 
cloud  upon  our  mercy-seat  we  have  in  the 
sight  which  met  the  enraptured  gaze  of  the 
Evangelist,  when  he  had  his  vision  of  the 
heavenly  world.  He  saw  the  New  Jerusa- 
lem, the  abode  of  the  redeemed,  shining  in 
all  the  radiance  of  its  loveliness  ;  but  there 
was  neither  sun  nor  moon  to  shed  their  rays 
upon  it,  for  "  the  Lamb  was  the  light  there- 
of" Who  may  imagine  what  the  rapture 
of  the  redeemed  will  be  when  they  thus 
look  upon  that  Saviour  who  is  the  object  of 
their  supreme  afiection?  This  will  be  to 
'' see  Him  as  He  is''  Then  the  Saviour's 
prayer  will  be  answered  :  "  Father,  I  will 
that  they  also  whom  Thou  hast  given  me, 
be  with  me,  where  I  am — that  they  may  he- 


THE     MERCY-SEAT.  387 

hold  my  glory  I     That  will  be  the  highest 
point  of  happiness — the  perfection  of  bhss. 

"  Forever  to  behold  Him  shine, 
Forevermore  to  call  Him  mine, 

And  see  Him  still  before  me ! 
Forever  on  His  face  to  gaze, 
And  meet  His  full  assembled  rays, 
While  all  the  Father  He  displays 

To  all  the  saints  in  glory  1" 

This  will  be  to  "  see  the  king  in  his  beau- 
ty." And  anticipating  such  a  portion  as 
his  inheritance  forever,  well  might  the 
Psalmist  say — "  when  I  awake  in  thy  like- 
ness I  shall  be  satisfied  with  it." 

And  thus  contemplating  Christ  as  our 
mercy-seat,  we  see  how  truly  we  have  in 
Him  an  authorized  mercy-seat — an  encouror 
ging  mercy-seat — a  mercy-seat  full  of  ^privi- 
lege for  the  j^roeent;  and  bright  with  hojpG 
for  the  future. 

And  now  we  have  brought  our  medita- 


388  THE     MERCT-SEAT. 

tions  on  this  most  instructive  subject  to  a 
close.  I  have  never  been  engaged  in  a  course 
of  sermons  that  have  been,  to  my  own  mind, 
more  replete  with  profitable  suggestions 
than  these  upon  the  tabernacle.  And  the 
chief  source  of  interest  and  profit  in  them 
has  been  found  in  the  direct  and  intimate 
relation  of  the  great  theme,  which  has  fur- 
nished them,  to  Christ  and  his  salvation. 
If  there  is  one  New  Testament  text  which, 
more  than  any  other,  the  tabernacle  and  its 
furniture  may  be  regarded  as  illustrating,  it 
is  that  in  which  the  apostle  declares  that — 
'^  Christ  is  all,  and  in  alV 

"  Such,"  says  an  English  writer,  "  is  the 
grand  central  truth  in  which  the  many  trains 
of  thought  springing  from  the  tabernacle- 
architecture  converge  and  terminate.  The 
sanctuaries,  and  the  vessels  of  the  sanctua- 
ries all  speak  this  one  voice.  The  altar 
tells  of  Christ  as  the  sacrifice  for  sin  \  the 


THE     MERCY-SEAT.  389 

lav(3r  of  Christ  as  the  giver  of  the  Spirit ; 
the  candlestick  shines  on  the  shew-bread 
and  re\^eals  Christ :  the  table  lifts  up  Christ 
in  the  eyes  of  believers ;  the  censer  is  full 
of  Christ  in  his  intercession,  and  the  mercy- 
seat  is  Christ  J  the  great  Mediator.  All  speak 
of  Christ,  for  Christ  is  all." 

"  Christ  is  the  hope  of  the  world.  In 
Him,  in  Him  alone,  there  is  mercy  for  the 
rebellious.  His  streaming  blood,  his  re- 
generating Spirit,  make  the  grand  distinction 
between  earth  and  hell.  The  hope  of  the 
world  is  in  the  cross.  When  the  world  ls 
blessed,  it  will  be  blessed  in  Christ.  He  is  the 
hope  of  salvation  for  each  individual  sinner, 
and  for  a  sinful  world.    No  Christ,  no  hope." 

"  Christ  is  the  joy  of  the  church.  Every 
blessing  which  believers  enjoy  flows  from 
Christ.  He  is  the  support  and  strength  of 
his  people.  He  enlightens  and  warms  them 
with  his  Spirit.     He  kindles  in  their  breast 


390  THE     MERCY-SEAT. 

the  fire  of  devotion,  and  presents  their  pray- 
ers and  praises  before  the  throne.  Christ  is 
the  believer's  joy,  his  delight,  his  song." 

"Christ  is  the  glory  of  heaven.  His 
presence  makes  it  what  it  is.  Without  him, 
as  the  mercy-seat  and  the  High-priest,  hea- 
ven would  be  no  heaven  to  us.  He  pre- 
pares it  for  us,  no  less  than  us  for  it.  He 
shrouds  the  excessive  brightness  of  the  God- 
head, satisfies  the  Father's  insulted  justice, 
encircles  the  throne  with  the  rainbow  of 
love,  that  pardoned  and  justified,  sanctified 
and  glorified  sinners  may  enter  the  holiest 
without  fear,  minghng  with  cherubim  and 
seraphim,  with  '  angels  and  arch-angels, 
and  aU  the  company  of  heaven.'  Yes,  the 
words  from  the  New  Testament  which  might 
have  been  inscribed  all  over  the  tabernacle, 
are  'Christ  is  all,  and  in  all!  " 

If   these   sermons   prove   the  means  of 
leading  one  soul  to  Christ,  who  knew  Him 


THE     MERCY-SEAT.  391 

not  before;  or  of  causing  any  who  have 
kno^Yn  him  to  have  a  fuller  and  deeper  sense 
of  His  unspeakable  preciousness,  I  shall  feel 
abundantly  recompensed  for  the  labor  be- 
stowed upon  them.  To  know  Him  as  the 
mercy-seat,  and  to  have  access  to  him  in 
that  character,  is  the  first  and  greatest  of 
all  possible  blessings.  Believers  in  Jesus, 
this  is  a  matter  on  which  you  can  speak 
from  experience.  You  know  the  privilege 
of  prayer,  the  joy  of  communion  with  Him 
who  "dwelleth  between  the  cherubims." 
Make  full  proof  of  your  privilege.  A  spring 
of  water  cannot  well  be  hid.  It  will  gush 
out  and  flow  along,  spreading  verdure  and 
beauty  wherever  it  goes.  Every  Christian 
should  be  a  spiritual  spring,  a  fountain  of 
blessing  in  the  circle  amidst  which  he  is 
jjlaced.  A  ray  of  light  cannot  be  hid.  It 
is  made  to  shine.  It  must  shine.  And  as 
it  shines,  it  gilds  f  nd  brightens  some  object 


392  THE    MERCY-SEAT. 

or  other  on  which  its  radiance  rests.  But 
every  Christian  should  be  a  ray  of  light, — a 
spiritual  sunbeam.  Hence  the  apostle  ex- 
horts Christians  to  "  shine  as  lights  in  the 
world."  Yes,  and  those  who  know  the 
mercy-seat,  and  the  blessedness  of  access  to 
it  should  be  sunbeams  indeed,  examples, 
wherever  they  go,  of  peace  and  cheerful- 
ness, serenity  and  joy.  The  Psalmist  speaks 
of  it  as  the  duty  of  those  who  know  God, 
to  be — in  the  highest  and  noblest  sense  of 
the  good  old  Saxon  word  —  ''merry  and 
joyful."  If  we  have  access  to  the  mercy- 
seat,  and  enjoy  its  privileges,  let  us  strive 
so  to  live  that  our  whole  spirit  and  bearing 
shall  testify  to  those  about  us  that  religion  is 
to  us  an  element  of  gladness,  and  that  we  are 
abundantly  satisfied  with  the  plenteousness 
of  God's  house — even  of  his  holy  temple. 
One  thoui>"ht  for  those  who  are  not  Chris- 

o 

tians.     The   tabernacle,    with  its    servicesj 


THE     MERCY-SEAT.  393 

was  designed  for  the  salvation  of  men.  But, 
if  every  part  of  its  heaven-devised  arrange- 
ment was  intended,  in  the  way  of  illustra- 
tion, to  represent  Christ,  then,  it  is  plain, 
that  in  the  matter  of  the  soul's  salvation 
Christ  must  he  everything.  To  be  without 
Christ  is  to  be  without  all  that  is  essential. 
If  you  have  Christ  you  have  everything, 
if  you  are  without  Christ  you  have  nothing. 
No  language  can  properly  express  the 
spiritual  poverty  of  those  who  have  no  part 
in  Christ,  They  have  no  pardon,  no  peace, 
no  strength,  no  righteousness,  no  portion  for 
eternity.  Beloved  hearers,  out  of  Christ 
this  is  your  condition.  Will  you  remain  in 
it  ?  Oh,  seek  Jesus  on  the  mercy-seat.  He 
will  bless  you — and  then  you  will  be  blessed ! 


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BS1196.5.T2N5  1874 

The  Jewish  tabernacle  and  its  furniture 

Princeton  Theological  Semmary-Speer  Library 


1    1012  00046  1014 


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